What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(From .19) climbed out on top at night no panel lights or IFR items. Atac contacted. Ran out of fuel. Lost control. Impacted. (From .4) the pilot had departed from a remote off-airport area during a dark night. During the flight to the intended destination, a layer of clouds obscured the ground. The pilot continued in VFR on-top conditions and became lost. The pilot climbed to about 10,000 feet MSL to remain above the clouds. The airplane was equipped with a turn and bank instrument, but did not have any instrument panel lighting. The airplane's radio was not functioning effectively to establish contact with an FAA facility. The pilot was using a flashlight to illuminate the instrument panel, but the bulb burned out. The passenger in the airplane contacted the anchorage air route traffic control center (ARTCC) via a cellular telephone and requested assistance in getting down through the clouds and locating an airport. The pilot, passenger, and FAA air traffic controllers, worked together for about 1 hour in an attempt to assist the flight. About 3 hours after takeoff, the airplane's engine ran out of fuel, and the pilot began a descent through the clouds. The pilo t reported he attempted to maintain control of the airplane, but experienced two or three uncontrolled spins. As the airplane neared the ground, the passenger established visual contact with the ground and yelled to the pilot. The pilot then pulled back on the control stick, and the airplane struck ground in an area of small hills. Rescue personnel located the airplane the following day. The pilot did not have an instrument rating. His pilot's certificate contained a limitation that prohibited night flying. (-23) pilot failed to observe safe operating practices and limitations on certificate. Additional information to follow.
As the FAA filed it
(FROM .19) CLIMBED OUT ON TOP AT NIGHT NO PANEL LIGHTS OR IFR ITEMS. ATAC CONTACTED. RAN OUT OF FUEL. LOST CONTROL. IMPACTED. (FROM .4) THE PILOT HAD DEPARTED FROM A REMOTE OFF-AIRPORT AREA DURING A DARK NIGHT. DURING THE FLIGHT TO THE INTENDED DESTINATION, A LAYER OF CLOUDS OBSCURED THE GROUND. THE PILOT CONTINUED IN VFR ON-TOP CONDITIONS AND BECAME LOST. THE PILOT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 10,000 FEET MSL TO REMAIN ABOVE THE CLOUDS. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A TURN AND BANK INSTRUMENT, BUT DID NOT HAVE ANY INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING. THE AIRPLANE'S RADIO WAS NOT FUNCTIONING EFFECTIVELY TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH AN FAA FACILITY. THE PILOT WAS USING A FLASHLIGHT TO ILLUMINATE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, BUT THE BULB BURNED OUT. THE PASSENGER IN THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE ANCHORAGE AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER (ARTCC) VIA A CELLULAR TELEPHONE AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE IN GETTING DOWN THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND LOCATING AN AIRPORT. THE PILOT, PASSENGER, AND FAA AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, WORKED TOGETHER FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR IN AN ATTEMPT TO ASSIST THE FLIGHT. ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE RAN OUT OF FUEL, AND THE PILOT BEGAN A DESCENT THROUGH THE CLOUDS. THE PILO T REPORTED HE ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, BUT EXPERIENCED TWO OR THREE UNCONTROLLED SPINS. AS THE AIRPLANE NEARED THE GROUND, THE PASSENGER ESTABLISHED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND YELLED TO THE PILOT. THE PILOT THEN PULLED BACK ON THE CONTROL STICK, AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK GROUND IN AN AREA OF SMALL HILLS. RESCUE PERSONNEL LOCATED THE AIRPLANE THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE AN INSTRUMENT RATING. HIS PILOT'S CERTIFICATE CONTAINED A LIMITATION THAT PROHIBITED NIGHT FLYING. (-23) PILOT FAILED TO OBSERVE SAFE OPERATING PRACTICES AND LIMITATIONS ON CERTIFICATE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO FOLLOW.
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 N1379A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.