What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft crashed in a wooded area. (.4)the student pilot was on a return VFR flight after visiting family relatives when the aircraft encountered instrument meteorological conditions and collided with trees in mountainous terrain. There were no witnesses who saw the crash; however, several witnesses in the area reported seeing an airplane flying in and out of clouds, and along an interstate highway. The weather was described as fog and rain. According to the owner, the pilot was not authorized to use the airplane. FAA records indicate the pilot was last issued a third class medical certificate in July 1989 at which time the pilot reported 23 hours of total flight time. The examination of the wreckage did not disclose evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunction.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA. (.4)THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A RETURN VFR FLIGHT AFTER VISITING FAMILY RELATIVES WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND COLLIDED WITH TREES IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES WHO SAW THE CRASH; HOWEVER, SEVERAL WITNESSES IN THE AREA REPORTED SEEING AN AIRPLANE FLYING IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS, AND ALONG AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE WEATHER WAS DESCRIBED AS FOG AND RAIN. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER, THE PILOT WAS NOT AUTHORIZED TO USE THE AIRPLANE. FAA RECORDS INDICATE THE PILOT WAS LAST ISSUED A THIRD CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE IN JULY 1989 AT WHICH TIME THE PILOT REPORTED 23 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME. THE EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF PREACCIDENT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.