What happened
On October 28, 2010, a Cessna 210A, registration N6655X, crashed near Aiken, South Carolina, resulting in 1 fatality. The flight departed Beaufort County Airport (ARW) for Aiken Municipal Airport (AIK) under visual flight rules (VFR).
During the flight, air traffic control (ATC) advised the pilot of a line of weather containing moderate to heavy precipitation near the destination. The pilot informed the controller that he was flying underneath the weather and was utilizing weather radar. As the aircraft approached AIK, the pilot requested to return to Beaufort due to the weather conditions.
Radar data showed that after entering the weather, the pilot's altitude control became erratic. The aircraft performed approximately two and a half 360-degree turns of decreasing diameter before radar contact was lost at 1,500 feet. The aircraft subsequently struck trees at approximately 38 feet above the ground and impacted the forest floor. A witness reported hearing an airplane at low altitude followed by a loud impact and seeing a plume of smoke.
The investigation
Investigators found that the pilot did not hold an instrument rating, which would have permitted flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). No flight plan had been filed, and there was no record of the pilot obtaining a weather briefing for the flight.
Examination of the wreckage showed the aircraft was substantially damaged, with evidence of a post-crash fire. The engine and propeller showed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. However, the investigation identified the remains of a portable Garmin GPSMAP 696. While this device can display NEXRAD weather imagery, it is intended for VFR navigation aid and is not certified for use under IFR.
Weather analysis, including radar imagery and local station reports, indicated that the aircraft was likely operating in IMC during the final minutes of the flight, characterized by light to moderate precipitation and low ceilings.