PIPER PA 32R-301 — Huntsville, AR

What happened

Before departing for the flight, the noninstrument-rated pilot received weather briefings, which indicated that visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed along the route of flight with no significant flight restrictions. While en route to the destination, the pilot requested and received VFR flight following services from air traffic control. The approach controller advised the pilot of moderate to heavy rain ahead along the route of flight, and the pilot replied, "vfr." About 6 minutes later, the controller again told the pilot about heavy precipitation along the route of flight and then gave the pilot a heading to deviate around the weather. The pilot confirmed the heading. Radar data indicated that the airplane started the expected right turn shortly later and then descended at a high rate of speed. The controller queried the pilot with no response, and no further transmissions from the accident pilot were received. The wreckage was located the next day based on the emergency locator transmitter. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. No airframe or engine preimpact anomalies were detected that would have precluded normal operation.

A band of light-to-moderate intensity echoes about 15 miles wide existed along the flight track, and echoes of light intensity were over the accident site. Reflectivity images did not identify any strong convective echoes along the airplane's flightpath. The pilot likely flew into an area of known rain with reduced visibility, which resulted in his subsequent loss of airplane control.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.