What happened
Approximately 43 minutes after departing on a cross-country flight, a Cessna (type not specified in source) was involved in an accident in a heavily wooded area about 1.5 miles west of the Mississippi River. During maneuvering, the aircraft failed to maintain clearance with terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot, who was not instrument rated, and his passenger were both fatally injured.
Prior to the accident, the pilot contacted the Jonesboro Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to request an en route weather briefing. During this communication, the pilot indicated intentions to fly toward Tunica under visual flight rules (VFR). The specialist provided information regarding the lack of Airmets and radar activity, noting that high pressure was building from the west while a low pressure system influenced the area to the east.
At the time of the briefing, Memphis—the nearest weather reporting point located 42 nautical miles northeast—was reporting broken clouds at 1,100 feet with 2.5 miles of visibility. However, conditions continued to deteriorate following the briefing.