What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Departed. Became missing. Found next day 6 mi east. High speed impact. (.4)witnesses observed the aircraft takeoff. When it did not return, a search was initiated. Signatures found by the FAA inspectors at the accident site indicate that the airplane impacted the ground at a 40 degree nose down attitude, while in a right turn. No anomalies were found with the airframe or engine that would have prevented normal operation. Toxicology findings were positive for chlorpeniramine and brompheniramine. 'Both of these drugs are antihistamines and were found at therapeutic levels, which may have caused impairment.' In addition, 'the underlying medical condition for which these drugs were being taken may have caused discomfort or a distraction in the cockpit. (-23) aircraft did not return from a local pleasure flight on 01/14/98. Aiicraft was found am 01/15/98, 6 miles west of Georgetown on hwy 29. Aircraft crashed in a wooded field. Struck the ground at approx 40 degrees nose down. Cockpit area destroyed on impact. No fire. The pilot received fatal injuries.
As the FAA filed it
DEPARTED. BECAME MISSING. FOUND NEXT DAY 6 MI EAST. HIGH SPEED IMPACT. (.4)WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TAKEOFF. WHEN IT DID NOT RETURN, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. SIGNATURES FOUND BY THE FAA INSPECTORS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A 40 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, WHILE IN A RIGHT TURN. NO ANOMALIES WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION. TOXICOLOGY FINDINGS WERE POSITIVE FOR CHLORPENIRAMINE AND BROMPHENIRAMINE. 'BOTH OF THESE DRUGS ARE ANTIHISTAMINES AND WERE FOUND AT THERAPEUTIC LEVELS, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED IMPAIRMENT.' IN ADDITION, 'THE UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITION FOR WHICH THESE DRUGS WERE BEING TAKEN MAY HAVE CAUSED DISCOMFORT OR A DISTRACTION IN THE COCKPIT. (-23) AIRCRAFT DID NOT RETURN FROM A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT ON 01/14/98. AIICRAFT WAS FOUND AM 01/15/98, 6 MILES WEST OF GEORGETOWN ON HWY 29. AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A WOODED FIELD. STRUCK THE GROUND AT APPROX 40 DEGREES NOSE DOWN. COCKPIT AREA DESTROYED ON IMPACT. NO FIRE. THE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.