What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: on November 11, 1997, at 2230 central standard time (CST), a Piper PA-28-235, N9404W, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a collision with the ground while in a descent. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot stated visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. He said he was piloting the airplane in freezing rain under an overcast ceiling that was about 1,500 feet above ground level. The pilot reported minor injuries. The flight departed Montezuma, Kansas, about 2100 CST. The pilot said that ice covered his windshield during the flight. He said the airplane's static port was covered with ice due to the freezing rain. The static port is located on the aft side of the pitot tube. The pilot said he did not obtain a weather briefing before departing on the accident flight.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: ON NOVEMBER 11, 1997, AT 2230 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME (CST), A PIPER PA-28-235, N9404W, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A COLLISION WITH THE GROUND WHILE IN A DESCENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT STATED VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE SAID HE WAS PILOTING THE AIRPLANE IN FREEZING RAIN UNDER AN OVERCAST CEILING THAT WAS ABOUT 1,500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT REPORTED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MONTEZUMA, KANSAS, ABOUT 2100 CST. THE PILOT SAID THAT ICE COVERED HIS WINDSHIELD DURING THE FLIGHT. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE'S STATIC PORT WAS COVERED WITH ICE DUE TO THE FREEZING RAIN. THE STATIC PORT IS LOCATED ON THE AFT SIDE OF THE PITOT TUBE. THE PILOT SAID HE DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT 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.