THE PLT RCVD A WX BRIEFING BEFORE TAKEOFF, BUT DID NOT FILE A FLT PLAN. DRG THE FLT, THE ACFT (DOUGLAS A-26C, N4813E) CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ELEV OF ABOUT 11,200' NEAR BALDY MOUNTAIN. SCOUTING PERSONNEL, WHO WERE CAMPED IN THE VICINITY, RPRTD THE WX WAS POOR WITH A LOW CEILING, RESTRICTED VISIBILITY, RAIN & HAIL. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A STEEP, RIGHT WING LOW, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. MUCH OF THE WRECKAGE COLLAPSED INTO THE IMPACT CRATER. THE DEGREE OF DESTRUCTION WAS CONSISTENT WITH A HIGH SPEED IMPACT. CHORDWISE SCRATCH MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE PROP BLADES. SEVERAL TREE BRANCHES & LIMBS AT THE CRASH SITE HAD SMOOTH CUTS. THE PLT WAS TYPE RATED IN THE A-26, BUT HIS CERTIFICATE HAD A LIMITATION THAT RESTRICTED HIM TO FLYING IT IN 'VFR ONLY.' NEITHER THE PLT NOR THE RATED PASSENGER HELD AN INSTRUMENT RATING. THE RATED PASSENGER DID NOT HAVE A TYPE RATING IN THE A-26, BUT THE PLT POSSESSED A WAIVER TO FLY N4813E AS A SINGLE PLT AIRPLANE.

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

Contributing Factors

LIGHT CONDITION..DUSK
VISUAL/AURAL PERCEPTION..PILOT IN COMMAND
TERRAIN CONDITION..HIGH TERRAIN
WEATHER CONDITION..LOW CEILING
WEATHER CONDITION..FOG
WEATHER CONDITION..RAIN
WEATHER CONDITION..HAIL
WEATHER CONDITION..OBSCURATION
LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME..PILOT IN COMMAND
TERRAIN CONDITION..MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY