Overview
A commercial certificated pilot who also served as a flight instructor and a private pilot were ferrying an airplane cross-country to obtain an annual inspection. The airplane was owned by the second pilot, who occupied the left seat, despite his medical certificate being expired. The first pilot, seated in the right seat, indicated that he was the pilot-in-command, but the second pilot was at the flight controls at the time of the crash.
Flight Details
The flight proceeded toward a small range of mountains. The tops of the ridges were obscured by clouds. The first pilot reported that overcast sky conditions varied between 1,400 and 1,600 feet above ground level, and he estimated the visibility below the overcast as 20 miles. As the flight neared the mountains, the pilot turned northward but found no route across the mountains. He then turned around and began to return to the departure airport.
Accident
While in cruise flight at 500 feet above ground level, the first pilot stated that the horizon became indistinguishable from both the snow-covered mountains and the snow-covered ground. He said that neither he nor the second pilot realized the airplane was slowly descending until it collided with the surface of a snow-covered lake.