What happened
During an instrument meteorological conditions flight, an aircraft crashed roughly one mile from the departure airport, which sits at an elevation of 1,096 feet mean sea level. The flight was being conducted under an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan, with equipment logs indicating the presence of a Global Positioning System. After receiving a departure clearance to an altitude of 3,000 feet and a heading of 130 degrees, the aircraft began a right turn toward the assigned course. Radar tracking showed the aircraft leveled off at roughly 2,000 feet for a duration of 32 seconds during this maneuver. Witnesses at the scene observed the aircraft striking the ground in a nose-low, right-wing-down attitude. The impact with trees, the ground, and a nearby residence caused significant damage to the airframe. The distribution of wreckage and the patterns of scarring on the ground suggested a high-speed collision with the terrain.
Findings
Investigations into the accident revealed that while the aircraft was equipped with a GPS, it was not approved for IFR navigation. Additionally, calculations performed on the aircraft's weight determined that the plane was operating approximately 597 lbs above its maximum gross weight. No mechanical failures or operational anomalies were identified that would have prevented the aircraft from functioning normally prior to the crash.