What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The pilot and passengers were returning home from a sightseeing flight, when a witness observed the airplane in a sharp right turn before it descended, impacted and sank in about 70 feet of water. Search efforts located some airplane parts including the right main landing gear, an airplane seat with the n number written on the back of the seat, and pieces of insulation. The main wreckage was not recovered. The pilot had obtained an abbreviated weather briefing earlier in the day, and said that the weather 'looked fine'. He was not instrument rated, and according to the airport manager, had very little instrument experience. Witnesses reported fog in the area at the time of the accident. According to the closest weather observation station, the reported ceiling was 900 feet overcast.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE RETURNING HOME FROM A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, WHEN A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IN A SHARP RIGHT TURN BEFORE IT DESCENDED, IMPACTED AND SANK IN ABOUT 70 FEET OF WATER. SEARCH EFFORTS LOCATED SOME AIRPLANE PARTS INCLUDING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, AN AIRPLANE SEAT WITH THE N NUMBER WRITTEN ON THE BACK OF THE SEAT, AND PIECES OF INSULATION. THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED AN ABBREVIATED WEATHER BRIEFING EARLIER IN THE DAY, AND SAID THAT THE WEATHER 'LOOKED FINE'. HE WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED, AND ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT MANAGER, HAD VERY LITTLE INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE. WITNESSES REPORTED FOG IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE CLOSEST WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION, THE REPORTED CEILING WAS 900 FEET OVERCAST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3896T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.