Background
A private pilot with an instrument rating and 339 total flight hours departed on a visual flight rules (VFR) clearance. As weather conditions deteriorated, the pilot switched to an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance.
Flight Events
Approximately 14 minutes before the accident, the pilot reported his position to air traffic control (ATC) incorrectly. He stated he was on the 320-degree radial when radar data indicated he was on the 140-degree radial. During a similar timeframe, the pilot reported an altitude of 5,500 feet while radar showed 9,500 feet. Additionally, he reported being 10 nautical miles (nm) from the VOR, but ATC data showed he was 1 nm away.
Radar data also revealed that the pilot initiated his turn to the outbound radial 3 nm before reaching the VOR, contrary to published IFR procedures.
Pilot Experience
The pilot's flight logbook indicated 6.6 hours of actual instrument flying. Records showed that he had completed an instrument proficiency flight on December 1, 2003. The aircraft used for that flight was equipped with course deviation indicator (CDI) VOR navigation avionics, while the accident aircraft had horizontal situation indicator (HSI) VOR navigation avionics. It could not be determined how much experience or training the pilot had with HSI equipment.
Impact
The front right seat passenger, who survived, reported that the weather was becoming cloudy (instrument meteorological conditions) with intermittent visible contact with the ground. The passenger stated that just before impact with the mountain, the pilot was "busy with the airplane's avionics." The airplane struck the mountain 9.2 nm south of the pilot's designated Victor-6 airway.