What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft declared an emergency due to engine problems and attempted to reach teh arpt, the acft struck several cars on highway before crashing into a van and bursting into flames.(-23)while operating on an IFR flight plan between bessimer, al and gainsville, GA, pilot experienced a partial loss and extreme airframe vibration. Unable to maintain altitude, pilot elected to land on Georgia highway 400. Emergency landing resulted in collision with two automobiles traveling southbound. Post crash fire ensued. One automobile sustained minor damage with no apparent injuries to the sole occupant. The other automobile was destroyed with fatal injuries to the sole occupant. The aircraft was destroyed with minor injuries to the pilot, the sole occupant. Subsequent investigation revealed a failure of the number 5 cylinder rod asssembly resulting in insufficient power to sustain flight.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY DUE TO ENGINE PROBLEMS AND ATTEMPTED TO REACH TEH ARPT, THE ACFT STRUCK SEVERAL CARS ON HIGHWAY BEFORE CRASHING INTO A VAN AND BURSTING INTO FLAMES.(-23)WHILE OPERATING ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN BETWEEN BESSIMER, AL AND GAINSVILLE, GA, PILOT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS AND EXTREME AIRFRAME VIBRATION. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON GEORGIA HIGHWAY 400. EMERGENCY LANDING RESULTED IN COLLISION WITH TWO AUTOMOBILES TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND. POST CRASH FIRE ENSUED. ONE AUTOMOBILE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE WITH NO APPARENT INJURIES TO THE SOLE OCCUPANT. THE OTHER AUTOMOBILE WAS DESTROYED WITH FATAL INJURIES TO THE SOLE OCCUPANT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED WITH MINOR INJURIES TO THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 5 CYLINDER ROD ASSSEMBLY RESULTING IN INSUFFICIENT POWER TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT.
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 N8554C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.