Accident Overview
An aircraft operating in dark night conditions collided with the northwest side of a ridge while in level attitude at cruise speed, heading southeast. The cloud ceiling was approximately 40 feet above the ridge at the time of the accident.
Flight Details
The pilot received a weather briefing before takeoff and another en route, both reporting a ceiling of 10,000 feet at the destination airport. The aircraft was flown at an altitude of 17,500 feet during the en route portion of the flight.
Communication and Radar
The pilot-in-command radioed GSP approach control, stating that he was VFR for landing and passing 6,000 feet. Two-way communication was not established, but a discrete transponder code was assigned. The controller observed the transponder code change northwest of the crash site, after which the radar target disappeared at the accident site.
Occupants
All five occupants of the aircraft were killed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be an in-flight collision with terrain/water during the cruise phase of operation. The findings cite two factors: (1) the pilot in command disregarded IFR procedure, and (2) the pilot in command initiated a premature descent.