What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 19, 2001, about 1900 EST, a Piper PA-28-RT201 arrow, N2380U, was destroyed during a collision with trees and terrain while on approach to runway 34R a Manassas regional airport (hef), Manassas, Virginia. The certificated commercial pilot/owner was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated at the st. mary's county airport (2W6), leonardtown, Maryland. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. A review of a preliminary air traffic control (ATC) transcript revealed that the pilot contacted the Manassas tower for landing instructions. According to the transcript N2380U was cleared to land on runway 34R. No further radio communications from the pilot. The controller made five subsequent radio transmissions to the airplane, and asked another pilot to check the runway for the airplane. The controller received no response from the airplane, and the search of the runway was unsuccessful.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 19, 2001, ABOUT 1900 EST, A PIPER PA-28-RT201 ARROW, N2380U, WAS DESTROYED DURING A COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 34R A MANASSAS REGIONAL AIRPORT (HEF), MANASSAS, VIRGINIA. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT/OWNER WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED AT THE ST. MARY'S COUNTY AIRPORT (2W6), LEONARDTOWN, MARYLAND. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. A REVIEW OF A PRELIMINARY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) TRANSCRIPT REVEALED THAT THE PILOT CONTACTED THE MANASSAS TOWER FOR LANDING INSTRUCTIONS. ACCORDING TO THE TRANSCRIPT N2380U WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 34R. NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PILOT. THE CONTROLLER MADE FIVE SUBSEQUENT RADIO TRANSMISSIONS TO THE AIRPLANE, AND ASKED ANOTHER PILOT TO CHECK THE RUNWAY FOR THE AIRPLANE. THE CONTROLLER RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM THE AIRPLANE, AND THE SEARCH OF THE RUNWAY WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.