WAYNESBURG, PA, USA
N6581R
BEECH B24R
WITHOUT RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DEPARTED UNDER VFR CONDITIONS AND ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DESCENDED TO REMAIN BELOW THE CLOUD CEILING WHICH HE ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT '50 FEET ABOVE THE HILLS,' AND HE REALIZED HE WAS APPROACHING TOO CLOSE TO TERRAIN SO HE BEGAN A CLIMB INTO THE CLOUDS. HE INITIATED A 180 DEGREE TURN IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXIT THE CLOUDS; HOWEVER, DURING THIS MANEUVER, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A GUY WIRE FROM A RADIO TOWER. THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXECUTE A LANDING AT A NEARBY AIRPORT.
VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN/OBSTRUCTIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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