Fatal VFR Accident in Heavily Wooded Area Near Mississippi River (N84719)

Accident Overview and Casualties An aircraft was substantially damaged during a cross-country flight approximately 43 minutes after departure. The accident occurred in a heavily wooded area about 1 1/2 miles west of the Mississippi River when the airplane failed to maintain clearance with terrain while maneuvering. The non-instrument rated private pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. The source does not identify the aircraft type, registration, operator, or exact date of the accident. ## Pre-Flight Weather Briefing Before the flight, the pilot contacted the Jonesboro Automated Flight Service Station in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to request an en route weather briefing. The pilot stated he was heading to Tunica under visual flight rules and described the flight as “skuddin it.” The flight service specialist reported that there were no Airmets across the route of flight and nothing on radar. The specialist noted that high pressure was building from the west, while the area to the east remained under the influence of a low pressure system. ## Weather Conditions Near the Accident Site Memphis, located 42 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, was the closest weather reporting point. At the time of the briefing, Memphis was reporting broken clouds at 1,100 feet. The specialist also reported that the ceiling had just dropped to 900 feet broken, with 1,400 feet overcast, visibility of 2 1/2 miles, and a variable ceiling between about 700 feet and 1,100 feet. A Senior NTSB meteorologist reported that the lower atmosphere in the Memphis area was nearly saturated and that the cloud ceiling gradually lowered after the pilot obtained the en route weather briefing. The 1853 Memphis observation reported a variable ceiling between 400 and 1,100 feet, light drizzle, and mist. The meteorologist also reported that it was likely the pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions just prior to the accident, similar to those being reported in the Memphis area.