What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On January 27, 1999, about 2205 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N1875H, collided with trees while maneuvering for a forced landing in brevard, north carolina. The airplane was operated by the owner/private pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot and sole occupant received fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed. There were no injuries reported on the ground. The flight originated from andrews-murphy airport in andrews, north carolina, at an unknown time. At about 1930, according to atlanta air route traffic control center (ARTCC), radio and radar contact was established with the flight. At that time, the pilot reported a low fuel condition. The airplane was given alternate airports in the vicinity for an emergency landing, however, the pilot continued to circle for approximately 2.5 hours. According to local police, airfields in the vicinity were illuminated by emergency personnel and an airplane was used to help locate the distressed airplane. According to emergency personnel, the fuselage rested inverted at the accidentnite when they arrived. Upon examination of the accident site, the airplane and freshly broken tree debris were scattered on a southeasterly heading with the fuselage found approximately 370 feet from the freshly broken tree. Both main wings were separated from the airplane, vertical stabilizer was crushed aft and the empennage was bent to the right. The airplane propeller was found in the living room of a single family dwelling.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JANUARY 27, 1999, ABOUT 2205 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28-181, N1875H, COLLIDED WITH TREES WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING IN BREVARD, NORTH CAROLINA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE OWNER/PRIVATE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED ON THE GROUND. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM ANDREWS-MURPHY AIRPORT IN ANDREWS, NORTH CAROLINA, AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. AT ABOUT 1930, ACCORDING TO ATLANTA AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER (ARTCC), RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED WITH THE FLIGHT. AT THAT TIME, THE PILOT REPORTED A LOW FUEL CONDITION. THE AIRPLANE WAS GIVEN ALTERNATE AIRPORTS IN THE VICINITY FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING, HOWEVER, THE PILOT CONTINUED TO CIRCLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 2.5 HOURS. ACCORDING TO LOCAL POLICE, AIRFIELDS IN THE VICINITY WERE ILLUMINATED BY EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND AN AIRPLANE WAS USED TO HELP LOCATE THE DISTRESSED AIRPLANE. ACCORDING TO EMERGENCY PERSONNEL, THE FUSELAGE RESTED INVERTED AT THE ACCIDENTNITE WHEN THEY ARRIVED. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE AIRPLANE AND FRESHLY BROKEN TREE DEBRIS WERE SCATTERED ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING WITH THE FUSELAGE FOUND APPROXIMATELY 370 FEET FROM THE FRESHLY BROKEN TREE. BOTH MAIN WINGS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE, VERTICAL STABILIZER WAS CRUSHED AFT AND THE EMPENNAGE WAS BENT TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE PROPELLER WAS FOUND IN THE LIVING ROOM OF A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.