What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The pilot was on an instrument flight rules flight plan, in instrument meteorological conditions. He was instructed to fly a heading, until receiving a non-directional beacon, then proceed directly to the beacon. After the pilot reported receiving the beacon, the airplane turned to right, about 90 degrees, followed by a 180-degree turn to the left. At the completion of the second turn, the airplane disappeared from radar. There were no distress calls from the pilot. The ground impact point was found in the vicinity of the last radar contact, and accident site evidence indicated an almost vertical, final descent. All flight control surfaces were accounted for at the accident scene, and propeller signatures indicated high engine power at impact. The vacuum pump was destroyed, but internally, exhibited rotational scoring and rotational smudging. The pilot had 254 hours of total flight time, with 53 hours of simulated instrument flight time, and 0.4 hours of actual instrument flight time. The pilot's last simulated instrument flight experience occurred 4 months prior to the accident. (-23) aircraft departed on IFR flight plan from williamsburg-jamestown airport (jgg) direct to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (shd). Richmond ATC lost contact with the aircraft about 7 miles from shd. Aircraft was located by Virginia stated police helicopter on browns gap mountain, elevation of 3398', impacted on the side of mountain. There was no fire, but the aircraft was destroyed. Sole occupant, pilot, was fatally injured.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE PILOT WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN, IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO FLY A HEADING, UNTIL RECEIVING A NON-DIRECTIONAL BEACON, THEN PROCEED DIRECTLY TO THE BEACON. AFTER THE PILOT REPORTED RECEIVING THE BEACON, THE AIRPLANE TURNED TO RIGHT, ABOUT 90 DEGREES, FOLLOWED BY A 180-DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE SECOND TURN, THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR. THERE WERE NO DISTRESS CALLS FROM THE PILOT. THE GROUND IMPACT POINT WAS FOUND IN THE VICINITY OF THE LAST RADAR CONTACT, AND ACCIDENT SITE EVIDENCE INDICATED AN ALMOST VERTICAL, FINAL DESCENT. ALL FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES WERE ACCOUNTED FOR AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE, AND PROPELLER SIGNATURES INDICATED HIGH ENGINE POWER AT IMPACT. THE VACUUM PUMP WAS DESTROYED, BUT INTERNALLY, EXHIBITED ROTATIONAL SCORING AND ROTATIONAL SMUDGING. THE PILOT HAD 254 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME, WITH 53 HOURS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME, AND 0.4 HOURS OF ACTUAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME. THE PILOT'S LAST SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE OCCURRED 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM WILLIAMSBURG-JAMESTOWN AIRPORT (JGG) DIRECT TO SHENANDOAH VALLEY REGIONAL AIRPORT (SHD). RICHMOND ATC LOST CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT ABOUT 7 MILES FROM SHD. AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED BY VIRGINIA STATED POLICE HELICOPTER ON BROWNS GAP MOUNTAIN, ELEVATION OF 3398', IMPACTED ON THE SIDE OF MOUNTAIN. THERE WAS NO FIRE, BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. SOLE OCCUPANT, PILOT, WAS FATALLY INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.