What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Departed on IFR flight plan. Became missing. Witness swa acft flying low in IMC last radar contract. Not found. (-23) the pilot attempted to maintain VMC in deteriorating weather conditions. The pilot reported he was maintaining 3500 MSL while attempting to obtain an IFR clearance. Examination of the crash site revealed a 400 foot debris field on a heading of 145 degrees magnetic which would coincide with a direct route from sutton west Virginia to his destination of lynchburg Virginia. The aircraft impacted the hardwood forest in the cranberry wilderness area at approximately 4220 feet MSL. (.19) see NTSB preliminary report #NYC96FA192.
As the FAA filed it
DEPARTED ON IFR FLIGHT PLAN. BECAME MISSING. WITNESS SWA ACFT FLYING LOW IN IMC LAST RADAR CONTRACT. NOT FOUND. (-23) THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN VMC IN DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS MAINTAINING 3500 MSL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN AN IFR CLEARANCE. EXAMINATION OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED A 400 FOOT DEBRIS FIELD ON A HEADING OF 145 DEGREES MAGNETIC WHICH WOULD COINCIDE WITH A DIRECT ROUTE FROM SUTTON WEST VIRGINIA TO HIS DESTINATION OF LYNCHBURG VIRGINIA. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE HARDWOOD FOREST IN THE CRANBERRY WILDERNESS AREA AT APPROXIMATELY 4220 FEET MSL. (.19) SEE NTSB PRELIMINARY REPORT #NYC96FA192.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.