What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Operating in IMC VFR struck mountainside climbing to cruise. (.4) while flight following, the pilot was advised by the controller that he was cleared for 'unrestricted descent' and was given the current altimeter setting. After the transmission, the pilot acknowledged that there were clouds in his vicinity but began a descent toward the destination airport with the gear extended. The aircraft collided with utility lines located on a ridge that crossed the pilot's route of flight. After the aircraft descended below the base of radar coverage, the controller advised that radar contact was lost; however, the pilot did not respond. Further attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful. The aircraft was equipped with navigational radios that were compatible with the published approach at the destination, and reported weather was above published minimums; however, the instrument rated pilot did not request a clearance nor were instrument charts found at the accident site. Visibility at the accident site was reported about 100 to 200 feet in mist with heavy precipitation and clouds at tree top level.
As the FAA filed it
OPERATING IN IMC VFR STRUCK MOUNTAINSIDE CLIMBING TO CRUISE. (.4) WHILE FLIGHT FOLLOWING, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED BY THE CONTROLLER THAT HE WAS CLEARED FOR 'UNRESTRICTED DESCENT' AND WAS GIVEN THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING. AFTER THE TRANSMISSION, THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WERE CLOUDS IN HIS VICINITY BUT BEGAN A DESCENT TOWARD THE DESTINATION AIRPORT WITH THE GEAR EXTENDED. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH UTILITY LINES LOCATED ON A RIDGE THAT CROSSED THE PILOT'S ROUTE OF FLIGHT. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED BELOW THE BASE OF RADAR COVERAGE, THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST; HOWEVER, THE PILOT DID NOT RESPOND. FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE PILOT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH NAVIGATIONAL RADIOS THAT WERE COMPATIBLE WITH THE PUBLISHED APPROACH AT THE DESTINATION, AND REPORTED WEATHER WAS ABOVE PUBLISHED MINIMUMS; HOWEVER, THE INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DID NOT REQUEST A CLEARANCE NOR WERE INSTRUMENT CHARTS FOUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. VISIBILITY AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS REPORTED ABOUT 100 TO 200 FEET IN MIST WITH HEAVY PRECIPITATION AND CLOUDS AT TREE TOP LEVEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.