LAMAR, MS, USA
N12WP
WALTER R. PENNEY VARI-EZE
AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PLT RECEIVED TWO WEATHER BRIEFINGS FROM FAA FSS JUST PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. IN BOTH BRIEFINGS VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE ACFT WAS NOT IFR EQUIPPED. PLT DID NOT FILE A FLT PLAN. FLT DEPARTED AND WITNESSES OBSERVED IT ENTER CLOUDS AND DISAPPEAR. ONE AND A QUARTER HOURS LATER GROUND WITNESSES HEARD ACFT FLYING LOW BUT COULD NOT SEE IT DUE TO LOW CLOUDS AND DARKNESS. A SHORT TIME LATER THE ACFT WAS HEARD STRIKING TREES. POST CRSH EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT STRUCTURE, FLT CONTROLS, OR ENGINE. AUTOPSY OF THE PILOT SHOWED NO EVIDENCE MEDICAL INCAPACITATION AND ALL TOXICOLOGY TESTS WERE NEGATIVE.
THE PILOT IN COMMANDS DEPARTURE INTO AND CONTINUED FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHILE OPERATING UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES RESULTING IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND THEN THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
