Incident Overview
During a cross-country flight under instrument flight rules (IFR), an air traffic controller cleared the pilot to begin an initial descent for landing and issued a heading change to start the approach. The pilot acknowledged the altitude and heading change. Approximately one minute later, the controller noticed that the aircraft's radar track was not following the assigned heading. The controller queried the pilot about his intentions, and the pilot responded that he was in a spin. No further communications were received from the pilot.
Wreckage and Witness Reports
The wreckage was subsequently located in steep mountainous terrain. A witness near the accident site reported hearing an airplane in a dive but could not see it due to very dark clouds in the area. The witness also noted that the engine noise increased and decreased multiple times.
Weather Conditions
A study of the weather indicated widespread cloud cover in the area around the time of the accident. The presence of very dark clouds was reported by a witness, and the flight was operating in instrument meteorological conditions.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
About eight months before the accident, the pilot completed the initial pilot training course in the accident airplane and was signed off for IFR currency. However, the pilot's recent or current IFR experience could not be determined.
Examination Findings
Examination of the fragmented airplane and engines revealed no abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation.
Analysis of Events
It is likely that the pilot entered into the clouds and failed to maintain airplane control. The changes in engine noise were most likely the result of the pilot's attempt to recover from the spin.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause is the pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during descent while operating in instrument meteorological conditions.