Incident Overview
A pilot conducting a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight at night experienced an accident after encountering adverse weather conditions. Prior to departure, the pilot obtained three weather briefings, which forecast thunderstorms, heavy rain, and hail for the destination area. While en route, the pilot contacted a flight service station on a flight watch frequency to request updated weather. The briefer informed the pilot that rain had passed through the destination airport within the previous hour and that thunderstorms were located northwest of the airport.
Radar Data and Descent
Approximately 13 minutes after this in-flight weather update, the aircraft disappeared from radar coverage. Radar data showed the airplane descending from an altitude of 2,800 feet to 2,300 feet before the signal was lost. The final two radar returns indicated the airplane making a turn toward the northwest.
Passenger Account and Accident Site
One of the surviving passengers reported that during the flight, "the weather started getting bad." The airplane subsequently struck trees in hilly terrain at an elevation of approximately 1,675 feet mean sea level.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
No anomalies with the aircraft or its engine were noted that would have prevented normal operation. Toxicological tests of the pilot revealed the presence of sertraline, an antidepressant medication. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had not issued the pilot a medical certificate at the time of his last medical application.