What happened
A pilot was operating a twin-engine airplane on a personal cross-country flight accompanied by one passenger. During the flight, the aircraft was receiving visual flight rules flight-following services from air traffic control. While traveling toward the destination, the aircraft entered a region with limited radar and radio coverage, causing radar services to be temporarily terminated. At one point, the aircraft was tracked at 4,900 ft msl, and later, radar contact resumed showing the aircraft at 4,100 ft msl. The flight path involved a climb to 6,600 ft msl followed by a shallow left turn and a subsequent descent.
Prior to the accident, the pilot communicated with a witness near the destination airport to inquire about cloud heights. The witness noted that clouds were between 800 and 1,000 ft agl. The final radio transmission from the pilot was a brief acknowledgment of the information. The aircraft subsequently impacted the terrain in a nose-low, wings-level attitude. A post-impact fire consumed much of the wreckage. The wreckage damage was consistent with the aircraft experiencing a relatively flat left spin at the moment of impact.
Findings
Investigation into the accident revealed that a cold front had moved through the area, bringing instrument meteorological conditions with cloud ceilings between 400 ft and 900 ft agl. The pilot had not obtained a weather briefing prior to departure. While moderate icing had been forecast for the area, the exact severity of icing encountered could not be determined. The aircraft likely encountered wind shear below 3,000 ft and potential icing within the clouds. There was no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction prior to the crash. Ultimately, the pilot was likely unable to maintain control of the aircraft, leading to an aerodynamic stall and spin into the ground, resulting in two fatalities.