What happened
While cruising at 11,000 feet, an instrument-rated private pilot and one passenger encountered thunderstorms and convective activity. The pilot decided to continue toward the weather and requested permission to deviate from the flight path, though no specific direction was provided in the request. After receiving authorization to deviate, the aircraft performed a left turn while maintaining altitude, followed by a right turn exceeding 90 degrees and a subsequent descent.
Radar contact was lost after the aircraft descended to 9,300 feet. Ground witnesses observed the airplane descending at an angle estimated between 30 and 45 degrees nose down. This descent occurred below the cloud base, and the engine was heard operating during the maneuver. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane come apart while it was flying clear of the clouds. One witness noted that the aircraft's descent appeared to shallow slightly just before the breakup occurred.
The investigation
The investigation examined the debris field, which included a trail extending 1,033 feet to the impact crater and an additional 486 feet beyond it. Physical examination of the wreckage revealed that the wings and horizontal stabilizer exhibited downward bending on their spars. Additionally, one propeller blade was located in the main impact crater, separated from the hub, showing "S" shaped bending on both the leading and trailing edges.