Accident Overview
On the day of the accident, an instrument-rated pilot was traveling to attend his granddaughter's graduation the following day. According to the official investigation, the pilot received two preflight weather briefings from flight service. The briefings indicated that marginal visual flight rules (VFR) conditions existed along the route and that instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the destination. VFR flight was not recommended.
Witness Account
A witness located below Mitchells Mountain reported hearing an aircraft flying at low altitude. The witness caught a glimpse of the airplane and described it as 'well below the crest of the mountain' heading south. At the time, the witness observed the weather to be about 200 feet overcast with visibility below one mile in fog. The witness noted that clouds obscured the mountain. Shortly after the sighting, the witness heard what was later determined to be the collision.
Wreckage Location
Search personnel located the burning wreckage on top of Mitchells Mountain, approximately 50 miles north of Charlottesville, Virginia. Both occupants were killed in the crash.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause of the accident was that the pilot initiated VFR flight into known adverse weather conditions. Contributing factors were low ceiling, high terrain, and low altitude.