Preflight Weather Briefings
The evening before the accident flight, the pilot obtained a computer-generated text weather briefing. On the day of the accident, the pilot acquired another computer-generated text weather briefing and subsequently contacted a Flight Service Station (FSS) for an interactive telephonic weather briefing. All three briefings indicated that a direct route between the pilot's departure point and destination would pass through an area of forecast rain showers, thunderstorms, and cloud tops significantly higher than the pilot's intended en route altitude.
Flight Path and Weather Encounter
During the interactive briefing, the FSS briefer recommended an alternate route and provided weather information for that route. However, after departure, the pilot flew directly toward the destination airport. The pilot was not instrument rated. While en route, the aircraft entered instrument meteorological conditions, within which there was an 80 percent probability of icing.
Loss of Control and Structural Failure
After entering the area of instrument meteorological conditions, the airplane was observed exiting the bottom of an overcast cloud layer with a significant portion of its left wing missing. The airplane then made a high-velocity steep descent into the terrain.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident inspection of the airplane's structure did not reveal any evidence of an anomaly that would contribute to the separation of the wing structure. It is most likely that the wing section separated as a result of the airplane exceeding its structural limitations after the pilot lost control in the instrument meteorological conditions.