What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot not IFR rated. Area of acident site was IFR. (.4) according to flight planning data found in the wreckage, the flight had departed louisville, Kentucky for gainesville, Florida. The airplane collided with terrain at the 4,300-foot level of a 4,400-foot ridgeline about 22 miles southeast of knoxville, Tennessee, about 1:45 hours later. Cloud condition for knoxville at the time of the accident was, ceiling 3,200 AGL, or 4,200 MSL. The pilot was not IFR qualified, and when queried by the green bay afss briefer about his intentions in areas of cloudiness, he stated, 'probably stay below' the clouds. There was no radio or transponder contact with any ATC facility and no flight plan was filed. There was no evidence of any precrash malfunction found with the airframe, engine, or its components, either at the site or in subsequent teardown inspection.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT NOT IFR RATED. AREA OF ACIDENT SITE WAS IFR. (.4) ACCORDING TO FLIGHT PLANNING DATA FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE, THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY FOR GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AT THE 4,300-FOOT LEVEL OF A 4,400-FOOT RIDGELINE ABOUT 22 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ABOUT 1:45 HOURS LATER. CLOUD CONDITION FOR KNOXVILLE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS, CEILING 3,200 AGL, OR 4,200 MSL. THE PILOT WAS NOT IFR QUALIFIED, AND WHEN QUERIED BY THE GREEN BAY AFSS BRIEFER ABOUT HIS INTENTIONS IN AREAS OF CLOUDINESS, HE STATED, 'PROBABLY STAY BELOW' THE CLOUDS. THERE WAS NO RADIO OR TRANSPONDER CONTACT WITH ANY ATC FACILITY AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PRECRASH MALFUNCTION FOUND WITH THE AIRFRAME, ENGINE, OR ITS COMPONENTS, EITHER AT THE SITE OR IN SUBSEQUENT TEARDOWN INSPECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.