Flight Details
The flight departed from Marion without the pilot obtaining a pre-flight weather briefing. No information is available regarding the aircraft type, registration, or operator.
Weather Advisories
During the approach, air traffic control advised the pilot that the last aircraft making an approach reported moderate to severe turbulence on final approach. The pilot was subsequently cleared to land and given wind information: 360 degrees at 30 knots gusting to 40 knots. Additionally, another aircraft reported a 20-knot windshear on final approach.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that upon descending to 1,500 feet mean sea level (MSL), the aircraft encountered strong turbulence. The airspeed fluctuated rapidly from stall speed to the redline. Despite the pilot's adjustments to flaps and throttle, the airplane became uncontrollable.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause of the incident is the pilot's intentional flight into known adverse weather. A contributing factor was the pilot's poor evaluation of the weather information given to him by air traffic controllers.