Mountainous Terrain Collision During Instrument Descent (N36TV)

Incident Overview and Pilot Intentions The aircraft struck mountainous or hilly terrain while the pilot was descending in instrument conditions toward the destination airport. The pilot, who did not hold an instrument rating, was receiving VFR flight advisories from Air Traffic Control. The pilot informed approach control of the intention to proceed to the destination in visual conditions and later stated an intent to circle down through a hole in the weather. The controller assumed the loss of radar contact was due to terrain and terminated radar service, approving a frequency change. No response was received from the aircraft. The last recorded target for the flight's assigned secondary beacon code was at a mode C reported altitude of 1,300 feet on a southwesterly track at 2011:03. The accident site elevation was approximately 1,000 feet. A resident near the site reported very foggy conditions with estimated visibility of 100 feet at the time of the accident.