What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) Witnesses observed the airplane roll into a steep bank and descend vertically into the ground. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical discrepancies that would have prevented normal operation. The operator observed the airplane taxiing for takeoff at a high speed. He called the air traffic control tower and requested that the controller relay a message to the pilot to return to the ramp. The airplane had taken off by the time the message was relayed. Although the pilot acknowledged receiving the message, radar data indicated the airplane did not turn back toward the airport, but continued toward the accident site. The site was located adjacent to a church where a friend of the pilot was attending services. The friend had reportedly declined a marriage proposal from the pilot the night before the accident. The medical examiner classified the pilot's death as a suicide. Toxicological testing detected 0.028 ug/ml diazepam (valium) in kidney tissue, 0.077 ug/ml diazepam in liver tissue, 0.134 nordiazepam (metabolite of diazepam) in liver tissue, and 0.069 ug/ml nordiazepam in kidney tissue. The FAA does not approve the use of diazepam by pilots. (-23) aircraft departed Wiley Post Airport (pwa) at approximately 1115 hours and flew to the church of the servant in north Oklahoma City, where he made an extreme banking left turn near or over the church starting at an altitude of approximately 500 feet, and descending into the ground west of the church parking lot. Witnesses indicate that the pilot had made previous flights over the church, where his girlfriend attended a Sunday school class.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ROLL INTO A STEEP BANK AND DESCEND VERTICALLY INTO THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION. THE OPERATOR OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF AT A HIGH SPEED. HE CALLED THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER AND REQUESTED THAT THE CONTROLLER RELAY A MESSAGE TO THE PILOT TO RETURN TO THE RAMP. THE AIRPLANE HAD TAKEN OFF BY THE TIME THE MESSAGE WAS RELAYED. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIVING THE MESSAGE, RADAR DATA INDICATED THE AIRPLANE DID NOT TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT, BUT CONTINUED TOWARD THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE SITE WAS LOCATED ADJACENT TO A CHURCH WHERE A FRIEND OF THE PILOT WAS ATTENDING SERVICES. THE FRIEND HAD REPORTEDLY DECLINED A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL FROM THE PILOT THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER CLASSIFIED THE PILOT'S DEATH AS A SUICIDE. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTING DETECTED 0.028 UG/ML DIAZEPAM (VALIUM) IN KIDNEY TISSUE, 0.077 UG/ML DIAZEPAM IN LIVER TISSUE, 0.134 NORDIAZEPAM (METABOLITE OF DIAZEPAM) IN LIVER TISSUE, AND 0.069 UG/ML NORDIAZEPAM IN KIDNEY TISSUE. THE FAA DOES NOT APPROVE THE USE OF DIAZEPAM BY PILOTS. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WILEY POST AIRPORT (PWA) AT APPROXIMATELY 1115 HOURS AND FLEW TO THE CHURCH OF THE SERVANT IN NORTH OKLAHOMA CITY, WHERE HE MADE AN EXTREME BANKING LEFT TURN NEAR OR OVER THE CHURCH STARTING AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET, AND DESCENDING INTO THE GROUND WEST OF THE CHURCH PARKING LOT.WITNESSES INDICATE THAT THE PILOT HAD MADE PREVIOUS FLIGHTS OVER THE CHURCH, WHERE HIS GIRLFRIEND ATTENDED A SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS.
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 N172JF · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.