What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed blm on 01-22-2001. Pilot was reported to have flown aircraft twice before cross country. Aircraft departed blm, wall, NJ, enroute to 3I2, pt. Pleasant, west Virginia. Records show 21.5 gallons of fuel was purchased on 01-22-01 at blm. Aircraft was reported to be overdue at destination on 01-23-01. Search and rescue was initiated. Aircraft was found 25 feet off route 310, 4.2 miles north of Grafton, west Virginia on 01-27-01 in a wooded area over an embankment covered with snow. Investigation revealed no fuel evident in fuel lines, carburetor or fuel tank. Several witnesses stated they heard the engine quit and the aircraft flew around lake tygart. During a turn around the lake, the engine started again and then the aircraft flew over the next mountain and the engine quit again. Aircraft was substantially damaged and pilot was fatally injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BLM ON 01-22-2001. PILOT WAS REPORTED TO HAVE FLOWN AIRCRAFT TWICE BEFORE CROSS COUNTRY. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BLM, WALL, NJ, ENROUTE TO 3I2, PT. PLEASANT, WEST VIRGINIA. RECORDS SHOW 21.5 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS PURCHASED ON 01-22-01 AT BLM. AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED TO BE OVERDUE AT DESTINATION ON 01-23-01. SEARCH AND RESCUE WAS INITIATED. AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND 25 FEET OFF ROUTE 310, 4.2 MILES NORTH OF GRAFTON, WEST VIRGINIA ON 01-27-01 IN A WOODED AREA OVER AN EMBANKMENT COVERED WITH SNOW. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL EVIDENT IN FUEL LINES, CARBURETOR OR FUEL TANK. SEVERAL WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE AIRCRAFT FLEW AROUND LAKE TYGART. DURING A TURN AROUND THE LAKE, THE ENGINE STARTED AGAIN AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT FLEW OVER THE NEXT MOUNTAIN AND THE ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND 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.