What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) During a telephone weather briefing, the briefer used the phrase 'looks excellent' and , 'I would recommend tonight instead of tomorrow' to describe 5,000 foot scattered to broken, and 10,000 foot broken to overcast weather in mountainous terrain at night. The airplane departed, and the pilot advised bangor he was in haze at 7,500 feet MSL. The airplane experienced an in-flight breakup, and the debris was found in mountainous terrain. In the last 7 years the pilot logged 0.4 hours of simulated instrument, and 4.7 hours of night. A satellite infrared image showed overcast clouds across new hampshire about the time of the accident. All fracture surfaces examined where consistent with overload. According to a witness, the airport was in a 'black hole,' surrounded by mountainous terrain with few ground lights for reference. The instrument flying handbook states, illusions in flight can be created by motion and certain visual scenes. Illusions may lead the pilot to maneuver the aircraft into a dangerous attitude. The aim states that VFR flight in mountainous terrain under an overcast or in the vicinity of clouds at night should be approached with 'extreme caution.' (-23) strong winds aloft in mountains, haze and scattered clouds. Wings failed with positive pressure (up), stabilator failed with negative pressure (down), aircraft was put in an attitude which exceeded its structural limits.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) DURING A TELEPHONE WEATHER BRIEFING, THE BRIEFER USED THE PHRASE 'LOOKS EXCELLENT' AND , 'I WOULD RECOMMEND TONIGHT INSTEAD OF TOMORROW' TO DESCRIBE 5,000 FOOT SCATTERED TO BROKEN, AND 10,000 FOOT BROKEN TO OVERCAST WEATHER IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT NIGHT. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED, AND THE PILOT ADVISED BANGOR HE WAS IN HAZE AT 7,500 FEET MSL. THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP, AND THE DEBRIS WAS FOUND IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. IN THE LAST 7 YEARS THE PILOT LOGGED 0.4 HOURS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT, AND 4.7 HOURS OF NIGHT. A SATELLITE INFRARED IMAGE SHOWED OVERCAST CLOUDS ACROSS NEW HAMPSHIRE ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ALL FRACTURE SURFACES EXAMINED WHERE CONSISTENT WITH OVERLOAD. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRPORT WAS IN A 'BLACK HOLE,' SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WITH FEW GROUND LIGHTS FOR REFERENCE. THE INSTRUMENT FLYING HANDBOOK STATES, ILLUSIONS IN FLIGHT CAN BE CREATED BY MOTION AND CERTAIN VISUAL SCENES. ILLUSIONS MAY LEAD THE PILOT TO MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT INTO A DANGEROUS ATTITUDE. THE AIM STATES THAT VFR FLIGHT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN UNDER AN OVERCAST OR IN THE VICINITY OF CLOUDS AT NIGHT SHOULD BE APPROACHED WITH 'EXTREME CAUTION.' (-23) STRONG WINDS ALOFT IN MOUNTAINS, HAZE AND SCATTERED CLOUDS. WINGS FAILED WITH POSITIVE PRESSURE (UP), STABILATOR FAILED WITH NEGATIVE PRESSURE (DOWN), AIRCRAFT WAS PUT IN AN ATTITUDE WHICH EXCEEDED ITS STRUCTURAL LIMITS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.