MANSFIELD, AR, USA
N2208N
PIPER PA32RT-300
BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS BRIEFED BY THE WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE FOR A VFR, NO-FLIGHT-PLAN FLIGHT. IN FLIGHT, THE PILOT RECEIVED A BRIEFING FROM AN AFSS AND WAS TOLD THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. PILOT INFORMED CENTER THAT HE WAS CLIMBING TO 7,000 FEET TO STAY ON TOP. WHEN HE WAS APPROACHING HIS DESTINATION, HE INFORMED APPROACH CONTROL THAT HE WAS ON TOP OF AN OVERCAST AND WAS TRYING TO FIND A PLACE TO GET DOWN. AFTER RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST WITH THIS AIRPLANE. ANOTHER APPROACH CONTROLLER OBSERVED A SLOW MOVING PRIMARY RADAR TARGET SOUTH OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, BUT AFTER IT WAS LOST, HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE ITS LAST KNOWN LOCATION, OR ITS IDENTITY. AIRPLANE WAS IN NEAR LEVEL ATTITUDE AT TREE IMPACT, THEN NEAR 60 DEGREE DOWN PATH TO TERRAIN. DAMAGE TO TREES, AND PROPELLER INDICATE ENGINE POWER BEING DEVELOPED AT IMPACT. WX IN AREA NOT KNOWN. WX STUDY SHOWS FORECAST OF HEAVY RAIN, REDUCED VISIBILITIES, MODERATE TURBULENCE BELOW CLOUDS.
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LOW CEILINGS, RAIN, AND TURBULENCE ENCOUNTERED AT LOW ALTITUDE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT TRAINING/EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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