What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
VFR pilot enroute in MVFR. Encountered IMC. Lost control crashed. Indicates spatial disorientation sprial dive. (.4)the non-instrument rated pilot took off at 0211 under dark night conditions and encountered ceilings of 1,400 foot broken and 2,200 foot overcast. The radar track showed the aircraft reaching an altitude of 2,000 feet as it entered into a left, descending spiral. The last radar target was within 1/2 mile of the crash site and the distribution of wreckage and tree strikes indicated a steep descent angle. Toxicological evaluation of samples from the pilot revealed, 0.020 (ug/ml, ug/g) amphetamine, 0.092 (ug/ml, ug/g) methamphetamine, and 0.005 (ug/ml, ug/g) tetrahydrocannabinol (the active substance in marijuana) in the blood. (-23) N6234D, departed troutdale airport (ttd) on 06/04/98 at approximately 2:00 am local. At 02:15 am a witness described hearing an aircraft crash. Approximately 16:30 pm skamania county sheriff's dept. Reported finding N6234D n.w. of Prindle, WA., just off the cannon creek and bush lack road intersection. Inspection of aircraft wreckage and aircraft maintenance records found no apparent mechanical irregularities.
As the FAA filed it
VFR PILOT ENROUTE IN MVFR. ENCOUNTERED IMC. LOST CONTROL CRASHED. INDICATES SPATIAL DISORIENTATION SPRIAL DIVE. (.4)THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT TOOK OFF AT 0211 UNDER DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS AND ENCOUNTERED CEILINGS OF 1,400 FOOT BROKEN AND 2,200 FOOT OVERCAST. THE RADAR TRACK SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF 2,000 FEET AS IT ENTERED INTO A LEFT, DESCENDING SPIRAL. THE LAST RADAR TARGET WAS WITHIN 1/2 MILE OF THE CRASH SITE AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF WRECKAGE AND TREE STRIKES INDICATED A STEEP DESCENT ANGLE. TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SAMPLES FROM THE PILOT REVEALED, 0.020 (UG/ML, UG/G) AMPHETAMINE, 0.092 (UG/ML, UG/G) METHAMPHETAMINE, AND 0.005 (UG/ML, UG/G) TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL (THE ACTIVE SUBSTANCE IN MARIJUANA) IN THE BLOOD. (-23) N6234D, DEPARTED TROUTDALE AIRPORT (TTD) ON 06/04/98 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:00 AM LOCAL. AT 02:15 AM A WITNESS DESCRIBED HEARING AN AIRCRAFT CRASH. APPROXIMATELY 16:30 PM SKAMANIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT. REPORTED FINDING N6234D N.W. OF PRINDLE, WA., JUST OFF THE CANNON CREEK AND BUSH LACK ROAD INTERSECTION. INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE AND AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOUND NO APPARENT MECHANICAL IRREGULARITIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.