LE COMPTE, LA, USA
N7968M
BEECH B35-C33A
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEF. HE DEPARTED UNDER VMC BUT ENCOUNTERED, AND WAS IN THE VICINITY OF AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, INTENSE LEVEL 5 THUNDERSTORMS. THESE STORMS CONTAINED HEAVY RAIN AND MODERATE TO SEVERE, AND POSSIBLY EXTREME, TURBULENCE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE EMBEDDED IN CLOUDS LAYERED TO ABOUT 10,000 FEET. EXISTING WEATHER FORECASTS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT AND THERE WAS ADEQUATE WARNING OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. IMPACT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 80 DEGREES NOSE DOWN IN A MUDDY FIELD. THE ENGINE WAS RECOVERED FROM A CRATER 20 FEET DEEP. ALL COMPONENTS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE IN OR AROUND THE IMPACT CRATER. THE PILOT HAD DELAYED HIS DEPARTURE FOR TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD JURY DUTY IN THE VICINITY OF HIS DESTINATION ON THE DAY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT.
THE PILOT'S CONTINUATION OF VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PRE-FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEF AND HIS INADEQUATE EVALUTION OF EXISTING WEATHER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
