Accident Overview
An aircraft operating under visual flight rules (VFR) departed from an airport beneath a solid overcast layer. The flight proceeded in a direction that took it toward rising mountainous and hilly terrain.
Sequence of Events
In the area where the pilot approached the mountainous terrain, clouds were touching the tops of the ridges in all quadrants. However, visibility underneath the overcast was extensive. As the pilot attempted to maneuver the aircraft below the overcast within the restrictive environment of the mountain valleys, he inadvertently entered the cloud base. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft collided with terrain.
Probable Cause
The investigation identified the probable cause as the pilot's inadvertent entry into a cloud base while maneuvering below an overcast in mountainous terrain, resulting in collision with terrain.