Accident Sequence
The commercial pilot and a pilot-rated passenger had arrived at the airport in separate airplanes. The passenger needed to leave his aircraft for painting, and the pilot planned to fly him back to his home airport. Before departure, an airport worker spoke with the pilot, suggesting a delay due to a low cloud layer surrounding the airfield and even offering to drive them home. The witness perceived the pilot as being in a hurry and recommended that if he were to depart, he should use the northeast runway, head east, and climb to 4,000 feet to clear rising terrain. Shortly after, the witness saw the airplane taxiing for takeoff. About ten minutes later, the witness received a call from the passenger, stating that they had "crashed the airplane on a mountainside."
According to the passenger, after takeoff they flew approximately eight miles before making a left turn toward the west. They continued on that heading for about ten miles, tracking a highway through a valley. As they entered the valley, the passenger, using his handheld GPS, informed the pilot that they needed to climb to a higher altitude to clear the surrounding mountainous terrain. At a certain point in the valley, the pilot executed a left turn toward the south, heading toward a low point along a mountain ridgeline. The airplane then entered the cloud layer and subsequently collided with terrain about 200 feet below the ridgeline.
Witness Accounts
A second witness, walking along the highway, observed the airplane flying "very low" in a westerly direction between two mountains. He then saw the airplane turn south and disappear into "heavy fog." Moments later, he heard a "loud bang."
Weather and Preflight Information
A review of FAA records revealed that the pilot did not obtain a weather briefing or file an IFR flight plan prior to departure. Published airport information informed pilots about mountains located to the north and south-southwest of the airport. Additionally, the Memphis Sectional Aeronautical Chart contained a warning: "Rapidly Rising Terrain-Use Caution During Periods of Low Ceiling and Visibility." Weather reported at the airport included wind from 280 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 17 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, and an overcast layer at 1,200 feet.