What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The airplane impacted a lake following an uncontrolled descent after the pilot experienced spatial disorientation at night. At 2228 the pilot reported to air traffic control that he had a 'full failure', one minute later he reported a 'static failure', and subsequently, at 2230 he stated that the 'dg' was out of order. At 2232 air traffic control lost radio and radar contact with the airplane. The controller who was tracking the airplane stated that it appeared as if the airplane was 'going aroung in circles,' just before it disappeared from the radar scope. A survivor was rescued from the lake the following morning and reported that the pilot tapped on the instrument ' with the blue horizon' and stated that 'this instrument is not working'. Post-accident examination of the vacuum pump by the NTSB materials laboratory, revealed that the vacuum pump failed in-flight. Post accident examination of the electrically driven turn coordinator did ot produce sufficient evidence to determine whether or not it was functioning at impact. (-23) the pilot was unable to maintain proper aircraft control after the aircraft vacuum pump failed during flight. The passenger who survived the air craft accident has declined to make any statements to the federal aviation administration.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A LAKE FOLLOWING AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AFTER THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AT NIGHT. AT 2228 THE PILOT REPORTED TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT HE HAD A 'FULL FAILURE', ONE MINUTE LATER HE REPORTED A 'STATIC FAILURE', AND SUBSEQUENTLY, AT 2230 HE STATED THAT THE 'DG' WAS OUT OF ORDER. AT 2232 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL LOST RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE CONTROLLER WHO WAS TRACKING THE AIRPLANE STATED THAT IT APPEARED AS IF THE AIRPLANE WAS 'GOING AROUNG IN CIRCLES,' JUST BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR SCOPE. A SURVIVOR WAS RESCUED FROM THE LAKE THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND REPORTED THAT THE PILOT TAPPED ON THE INSTRUMENT ' WITH THE BLUE HORIZON' AND STATED THAT 'THIS INSTRUMENT IS NOT WORKING'. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE VACUUM PUMP BY THE NTSB MATERIALS LABORATORY, REVEALED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP FAILED IN-FLIGHT. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN TURN COORDINATOR DID OT PRODUCE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS FUNCTIONING AT IMPACT. (-23) THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRCRAFT CONTROL AFTER THE AIRCRAFT VACUUM PUMP FAILED DURING FLIGHT. THE PASSENGER WHO SURVIVED THE AIR CRAFT ACCIDENT HAS DECLINED TO MAKE ANY STATEMENTS TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.