What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Departed under IFR into IMC. Failed hold heading and alitude. Lost control vertigo and spiral dive to impact. (.4)following a takeoff in low ceilings, rain, and carburetor icing conditions, the pilot failed to maintain the assigned heading, or climb to the assigned altitude. Radar data depicted the airplane executing a meandering flight path, and his radio communications with air traffic were sporadic and ineffectual. Even though the pilot reported reaching his assigned altitude of 4,000 feet, radar data indicated the highest altitude was 2,300 feet. A pilot who departed to search for the reported accident stated he encountered carburetor icing just after takeoff. The carburetor heat valve for the accident airplane was found locked in an intermediate position in the wreckage, and there was evidence of low engine power at impact. Disassembly of the carburetor airbox revealed scrape marks on the interior of the box indicating the carburetor heat valve had been forced toward the warm position by impact forces. The spark plugs exhibited light sooting. The pilot's flight records recorded on three hour instrument flight after he had obtained his instrument rating about seven year s prior to the accident. (-23) investigation continues.
As the FAA filed it
DEPARTED UNDER IFR INTO IMC. FAILED HOLD HEADING AND ALITUDE. LOST CONTROL VERTIGO AND SPIRAL DIVE TO IMPACT. (.4)FOLLOWING A TAKEOFF IN LOW CEILINGS, RAIN, AND CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE ASSIGNED HEADING, OR CLIMB TO THE ASSIGNED ALTITUDE. RADAR DATA DEPICTED THE AIRPLANE EXECUTING A MEANDERING FLIGHT PATH, AND HIS RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH AIR TRAFFIC WERE SPORADIC AND INEFFECTUAL. EVEN THOUGH THE PILOT REPORTED REACHING HIS ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 4,000 FEET, RADAR DATA INDICATED THE HIGHEST ALTITUDE WAS 2,300 FEET. A PILOT WHO DEPARTED TO SEARCH FOR THE REPORTED ACCIDENT STATED HE ENCOUNTERED CARBURETOR ICING JUST AFTER TAKEOFF. THE CARBURETOR HEAT VALVE FOR THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS FOUND LOCKED IN AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION IN THE WRECKAGE, AND THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF LOW ENGINE POWER AT IMPACT. DISASSEMBLY OF THE CARBURETOR AIRBOX REVEALED SCRAPE MARKS ON THE INTERIOR OF THE BOX INDICATING THE CARBURETOR HEAT VALVE HAD BEEN FORCED TOWARD THE WARM POSITION BY IMPACT FORCES. THE SPARK PLUGS EXHIBITED LIGHT SOOTING. THE PILOT'S FLIGHT RECORDS RECORDED ON THREE HOUR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT AFTER HE HAD OBTAINED HIS INSTRUMENT RATING ABOUT SEVEN YEAR S PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. (-23) INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.