Accident Overview
On the morning of the accident, a non-certificated pilot departed on a solo VFR personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot intended to fly to an airstrip near his workplace, approximately 65 miles north-northeast of the departure airport. The airplane broke apart in-flight, and the wreckage was located about 12 miles west-southwest of the destination airport. The wreckage was scattered on a steep slope in a mountainous area, consistent with an in-flight breakup.
Pilot Information
According to FAA records, the pilot obtained a Student Pilot/Medical Certificate on May 7, 2003. No further certificate applications or issuances were found. The pilot's father reported that the pilot had received primary flight instruction from a relative who was a certificated flight instructor, and later completed instruction elsewhere. No personal flight records were discovered for the pilot.
Weather Conditions
The morning of the flight, an FAA inspector who spoke with the pilot described the weather at the departure airport as marginal VFR, with horizontal visibility as low as 100 feet along the road to the airport, and peaks and ridges obscured by low clouds. The area weather forecast included thunderstorms and high winds. A helicopter pilot transiting the area reported needing to navigate around a large dark cell, and encountered low clouds, poor visibility, and rain showers, with mountain tops and ridges obscured by clouds. Due to the weather, the pilot initially decided to drive the 3-hour commute but returned, saying he thought he could make the 20-minute flight.
Wreckage Examination
The wreckage was dispersed over an area 600–800 feet long and 300–400 feet wide, oriented south to north. The fuselage was farthest north and highest up the slope, with an impact crater and the engine separated. The propeller exhibited chord-wise scratches, leading-edge gouging, and torsional twisting. The fuselage was extensively crushed. The left and right wings were found 300–400 feet downslope from the fuselage. The right wing had separated near the wing root, and the left wing separated outboard of the main landing gear. The separation of the wings was consistent with a pilot-induced, positive stress overload.
The airplane's maintenance logbook indicated the last annual inspection was performed on May 10, 2003.