What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) Onjune 19, 1996, at 1448 central daylight time (CDT), a department of the navy F/A-18C, buno number 165189, leased back and operated by Mcdonnell Douglas, was destroyed after it impacted the terrain while performing a reverse 1/2 cuban 8 maneuver for a practice airshow at st. louis regional airport, alton, Illinois. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. The local 14 CFR part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The practice airshow flight departed st. louis regional airport, alton, Illinois, at 1446 CDT. Due to limitations within the computer system the last digit of the aircraft buno number could not be added to the registration number under aircraft information.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ONJUNE 19, 1996, AT 1448 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT), A DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY F/A-18C, BUNO NUMBER 165189, LEASED BACK AND OPERATED BY MCDONNELL DOUGLAS, WAS DESTROYED AFTER IT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN WHILE PERFORMING A REVERSE 1/2 CUBAN 8 MANEUVER FOR A PRACTICE AIRSHOW AT ST. LOUIS REGIONAL AIRPORT, ALTON, ILLINOIS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE LOCAL 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE PRACTICE AIRSHOW FLIGHT DEPARTED ST. LOUIS REGIONAL AIRPORT, ALTON, ILLINOIS, AT 1446 CDT. DUE TO LIMITATIONS WITHIN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THE LAST DIGIT OF THE AIRCRAFT BUNO NUMBER COULD NOT BE ADDED TO THE REGISTRATION NUMBER UNDER AIRCRAFT INFORMATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.