What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) August 28, 2000, at 1730, a wheel equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N4985A, was destroyed when the airplane collided with remote, mountainous terrain, 40 nautical miles east of Port Heiden, Alaska. Painter creek lodge inc ooperated the flight of two aircraft. The flight of two aircraft was being conducted under title 14, CFR part 91, when the accident occurred. The accident aircraft was piloted by commercial pilot joe maxey. The pilot and two of the three passengers received fatal injuries. The surviving passenger suffered multiple fractures and facial lacerations. Flight service flight following procedures were not in effect. The flight originated at a remote landing area near amber bay with painter creek lodge as destination 40 NM north. The company reported that the accident aircraft was overdue. The rescue coordination center received an ELT signal in the overdue aircraft area of operation. The coast guard initiated an aerial search that night but was discontinued for adverse weather and resumed the following morning. The accident aircraft was located the next day August 24, 2000 at 1115 along a nearly direct path to painter creek lodge. The closest weather reporting station is Port Heiden, Alaska, the reported ceiling broken at 3900, overcast 4700, visibility of 9 miles; wind 340/5, temp/dewpoint 8/5.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AUGUST 28, 2000, AT 1730, A WHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 180 AIRPLANE, N4985A, WAS DESTROYED WHEN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH REMOTE, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, 40 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF PORT HEIDEN, ALASKA. PAINTER CREEK LODGE INC OOPERATED THE FLIGHT OF TWO AIRCRAFT. THE FLIGHT OF TWO AIRCRAFT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WAS PILOTED BY COMMERCIAL PILOT JOE MAXEY. THE PILOT AND TWO OF THE THREE PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE SURVIVING PASSENGER SUFFERED MULTIPLE FRACTURES AND FACIAL LACERATIONS. FLIGHT SERVICE FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE NOT IN EFFECT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT A REMOTE LANDING AREA NEAR AMBER BAY WITH PAINTER CREEK LODGE AS DESTINATION 40 NM NORTH. THE COMPANY REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WAS OVERDUE. THE RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER RECEIVED AN ELT SIGNAL IN THE OVERDUE AIRCRAFT AREA OF OPERATION. THE COAST GUARD INITIATED AN AERIAL SEARCH THAT NIGHT BUT WAS DISCONTINUED FOR ADVERSE WEATHER AND RESUMED THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED THE NEXT DAY AUGUST 24, 2000 AT 1115 ALONG A NEARLY DIRECT PATH TO PAINTER CREEK LODGE. THE CLOSEST WEATHER REPORTING STATION IS PORT HEIDEN, ALASKA, THE REPORTED CEILING BROKEN AT 3900, OVERCAST 4700, VISIBILITY OF 9 MILES; WIND 340/5, TEMP/DEWPOINT 8/5.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.