What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On October 13, 1995, at 1605 eastern daylight time, a lopez Lancair 360, N102JL was destroyed following an in-flight breakup near Atlanta, Georgia. The non-instrument rated private pilot was fatally injured in the accident. The aircraft was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 by the pilot. Instrument meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight. The flight departed runway 20 at the dekalb-peachtree airport at 1554, and was destined for boca raton, Florida. Witnesses stated they heard a loud bang, and that the aircraft appeared to break-up just prior to impacting the terrain. (.4) the noninstrument-rated pilot filed for and received an instrument flight plan clearance from Atlanta to boca raton, Florida. The weather at the time of the accident was IMC. Transcripts of radio communications indicated that the pilot was having problems maintaining altitude and heading. Shortly after departure the pilot reported that he thought that one of the aircraft gyros was not operating properly. He later reported that he believed the problem had corrected itself. Witnesses observed the aircraft descend out of the base of the clouds and break up in flight.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON OCTOBER 13, 1995, AT 1605 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A LOPEZ LANCAIR 360, N102JL WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP NEAR ATLANTA, GEORGIA. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 BY THE PILOT. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED RUNWAY 20 AT THE DEKALB-PEACHTREE AIRPORT AT 1554, AND WAS DESTINED FOR BOCA RATON, FLORIDA. WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD A LOUD BANG, AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BREAK-UP JUST PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TERRAIN. (.4) THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT FILED FOR AND RECEIVED AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN CLEARANCE FROM ATLANTA TO BOCA RATON, FLORIDA. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS IMC. TRANSCRIPTS OF RADIO COMMUNICATIONS INDICATED THAT THE PILOT WAS HAVING PROBLEMS MAINTAINING ALTITUDE AND HEADING. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE THOUGHT THAT ONE OF THE AIRCRAFT GYROS WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. HE LATER REPORTED THAT HE BELIEVED THE PROBLEM HAD CORRECTED ITSELF. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DESCEND OUT OF THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS AND BREAK UP IN FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.