What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The pilot received three weather briefings before takeoff; the flight departed VFR with no flight plan. Witnesses reported hearing a low flying airplane with a sputtering engine, followed by the engine revving up and an impact. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area, with 2 1/2 statue miles visiblity in heavy rain, and fog reported at 1355 at a weather observation station, about 102 degrees magnetic and 4.88 nautical miles from the crash site a search for the overdue airplane was conducted; it was located 3 days after the accident. Examination of the airplane, flight controls, and engine revealed no evidence of pre-impact failure or malfunction. No maintenance logbooks for the airplane nor the pilot's pilot logbook were located. No determination could be made if the pilot was current to fly in instrument meteorological conditions. Copies of maintenance records from the last country of registration indicate that the airplane was last inspected on October 21, 1993. The ELT did not operate due to being in the 'off' position, and battery voltage less than required. The airplane had been operated for an estimated 2 hours 53 minutes since the fuel tanks we er filled. There was no record of the pilot obtaining any in-flight advisories. (-23) see narrative # MIA98FA182
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE PILOT RECEIVED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS BEFORE TAKEOFF; THE FLIGHT DEPARTED VFR WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN. WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING A LOW FLYING AIRPLANE WITH A SPUTTERING ENGINE, FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE REVVING UP AND AN IMPACT. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE AREA, WITH 2 1/2 STATUE MILES VISIBLITY IN HEAVY RAIN, AND FOG REPORTED AT 1355 AT A WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION, ABOUT 102 DEGREES MAGNETIC AND 4.88 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE CRASH SITE A SEARCH FOR THE OVERDUE AIRPLANE WAS CONDUCTED; IT WAS LOCATED 3 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE, FLIGHT CONTROLS, AND ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. NO MAINTENANCE LOGBOOKS FOR THE AIRPLANE NOR THE PILOT'S PILOT LOGBOOK WERE LOCATED. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE IF THE PILOT WAS CURRENT TO FLY IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. COPIES OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS FROM THE LAST COUNTRY OF REGISTRATION INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS LAST INSPECTED ON OCTOBER 21, 1993. THE ELT DID NOT OPERATE DUE TO BEING IN THE 'OFF' POSITION, AND BATTERY VOLTAGE LESS THAN REQUIRED. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN OPERATED FOR AN ESTIMATED 2 HOURS 53 MINUTES SINCE THE FUEL TANKS WE ER FILLED. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF THE PILOT OBTAINING ANY IN-FLIGHT ADVISORIES. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE # MIA98FA182