What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On may 12, 2001, at approximately 1025 central daylight time, a Cessna 150G, N3370J, collided with trees and subsequently the ground while maneuvering over mountainous terrain near Dunlap, Tennessee. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was destroyed and the private pilot was fatally injured. The personal flight departed john c. tune airport in nashville, Tennessee at 0930. Reportedly, the pilot's destination airport was in copperhill, Tennessee. After takeoff from john c. tune airport, the pilot established radio and radar contact with nashville approach control. The flight continued through nashville's airspace and radio contact was not maintained. However, radar contact was maintained until the airplane was observed maneuvering in the vicinity of the accident site. Witnesses also observed the airplane as it circled left and subsequently made a hard right turn, then spiraled down. When the flight failed to arrive at the destination airport , the authorities were notified that the plane was missing. An aerial and ground search was started and lasted 14 days. The airplane was found on Mt. Fredonia by a ground search party on Saturday may 26, 2001. Examination at the accident site disclosed that the airplane had collided with trees at a 45 degree angle. The examination also disclosed that wreckage debris was scattered over an area of 80 feet long and 25 feet wide. The Cessna was found in a near vertical nose down attitude. The airplane had an impact heading of 310 degrees. The crash site was at a field elevation of 2,212 feet. The right wing was found on the left side of the wreckage wrapped around a tree. The engine and propeller were embedded 18 inches into the ground. Local authorities stated, at the approximate time of the accident, and in the vicinity of the accident site, there was rain and low clouds. (-23) aircraft impacted the ground at approximately 45 degree angle. Engine was apparently developing power at impact as evidenced by propeller condition and cuts on numerous trees.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON MAY 12, 2001, AT APPROXIMATELY 1025 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 150G, N3370J, COLLIDED WITH TREES AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE GROUND WHILE MANEUVERING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN NEAR DUNLAP, TENNESSEE. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED AND THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED JOHN C. TUNE AIRPORT IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE AT 0930. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT'S DESTINATION AIRPORT WAS IN COPPERHILL, TENNESSEE. AFTER TAKEOFF FROM JOHN C. TUNE AIRPORT, THE PILOT ESTABLISHED RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH NASHVILLE APPROACH CONTROL. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED THROUGH NASHVILLE'S AIRSPACE AND RADIO CONTACT WAS NOT MAINTAINED. HOWEVER, RADAR CONTACT WAS MAINTAINED UNTIL THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED MANEUVERING IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. WITNESSES ALSO OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AS IT CIRCLED LEFT AND SUBSEQUENTLY MADE A HARD RIGHT TURN, THEN SPIRALED DOWN. WHEN THE FLIGHT FAILED TO ARRIVE AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT , THE AUTHORITIES WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE PLANE WAS MISSING. AN AERIAL AND GROUND SEARCH WAS STARTED AND LASTED 14 DAYS. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND ON MT. FREDONIA BY A GROUND SEARCH PARTY ON SATURDAY MAY 26, 2001. EXAMINATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE DISCLOSED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD COLLIDED WITH TREES AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. THE EXAMINATION ALSO DISCLOSED THAT WRECKAGE DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA OF 80 FEET LONG AND 25 FEET WIDE. THE CESSNA WAS FOUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE HAD AN IMPACT HEADING OF 310 DEGREES. THE CRASH SITE WAS AT A FIELD ELEVATION OF 2,212 FEET. THE RIGHT WING WAS FOUND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE WRECKAGE WRAPPED AROUND A TREE. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE EMBEDDED 18 INCHES INTO THE GROUND. LOCAL AUTHORITIES STATED, AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, THERE WAS RAIN AND LOW CLOUDS. (-23) AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREE ANGLE. ENGINE WAS APPARENTLY DEVELOPING POWER AT IMPACT AS EVIDENCED BY PROPELLER CONDITION AND CUTS ON NUMEROUS TREES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.