What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft struck an electrical pole, crashed, burned, and was destroyed. (.19) on October 5, 1998, at 0933 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N648FL, was destroyed when it hit powerlines northeast of the Huron County Memorial Airport, Bad Axe, Michigan. The airplane burst into flames when it impacted the ground. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The 14 CFR part 91 flight had departed from sebewaing township airport with Huron County Memorial Airport as the destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. (-23) acft impacted utility pole 19.5 ft above ground. Approx 4.5 feet inbd of wingtip. Aircraft tumbled approx 300' shedding parts (wings), came to rest inverted and cockpit/cabin area was consumed by fire. Pilot and pax fatal.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT STRUCK AN ELECTRICAL POLE, CRASHED, BURNED, AND WAS DESTROYED. (.19) ON OCTOBER 5, 1998, AT 0933 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-140, N648FL, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT HIT POWERLINES NORTHEAST OF THE HURON COUNTY MEMORIAL AIRPORT, BAD AXE, MICHIGAN. THE AIRPLANE BURST INTO FLAMES WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED FROM SEBEWAING TOWNSHIP AIRPORT WITH HURON COUNTY MEMORIAL AIRPORT AS THE DESTINATION. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. (-23) ACFT IMPACTED UTILITY POLE 19.5 FT ABOVE GROUND. APPROX 4.5 FEET INBD OF WINGTIP. AIRCRAFT TUMBLED APPROX 300' SHEDDING PARTS (WINGS), CAME TO REST INVERTED AND COCKPIT/CABIN AREA WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. PILOT AND PAX FATAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.