DURING A RETURN FLIGHT AT NIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE IMPACT DISPLACED THE WING ASSEMBLY REARWARD PERPENDICULARLY THROUGH THE REAR SPAR ASSEMBLY. BOTH ENGINE AND PROPELLER ASSEMBLIES WERE BURIED IN THE GROUND ABOUT THREE FEET. THE INVESTIGATION FAILED TO INDICATE ANY AIRCRAFT PROBLEMS. THE PILOT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF SURRENDERING HIS PILOT CERTIFICATE FOR A PREVIOUS AVIATION VIOLATION. THE PILOT'S STATE DRIVERS LICENSE WAS ALSO SUSPENDED FOR A MOVING TRAFFIC VIOLATION. RECORDS INDICATED HE HAD RECEIVED 17 MOVING TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS SINCE 1975.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

Index for Apr1987 | Index of months