What happened
During a flight originating from Siocon Airport, a single engine airplane encountered severe weather conditions. Before takeoff, the pilot received reports indicating that visibility and weather conditions at both the departure point and the intended destination were poor. Notwithstanding these warnings and the fact that visibility had dropped below required minimums, the decision was made to proceed with the flight.
While operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) amidst intense rainfall, the aircraft collided with a hill. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the plane. Search efforts located the wreckage several hours after the incident. There were 11 fatalities and no survivors among the occupants.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that the primary factor was the pilot's decision to continue VFR operations into deteriorating weather. The aircraft was flying over a rugged shoreline during a period of heavy rain that had reduced visibility to near zero, making safe navigation impossible under visual flight rules.