FRONT ROYAL, VA, USA
N90PD
DANNY M DAMRON LONG EZ
THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP AFTER HE RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED AN ADVISORY FOR MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. EN ROUTE HE ENCOUNTERED LOW CLOUDS AND FOG OVER A RIDGE LINE WHICH WAS THE HIGH POINT BETWEEN HIS DEPARTURE POINT AND THE INTENDED DESTINATION. THE PILOT CONTINUED ON COURSE TO THE VOR AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES AT AN ELEVATION OF APPROXIMATELY 3200 FEET. THE HIGHEST ELEVATION NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 3368 FEET. DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED ALONG THE FLIGHT PATH FOR 200 FEET. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS, AND A COLLISION WITH TREES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITIES, AND THE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG WHICH OBSCURED THE RIDGE LINE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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