What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) According to john merriman, owner of coast flyers, based at the Mendocino airport (O48), he heard an airplane circling overhead. The airport office was closed which, normally operates the UNICOM, so john went outside with his hand held radio and called the airplane circling and asked if he could help. Joel bornstein answered and said, "hi john its joel, do you see any holes in the cloud cover." John answered he did not, and that the ceiling was low and did not look good. A few minutes later joel said "I have the airport, 30 seconds later joel said "uh-oh, I lost the airport." That was the last transmission john heard. The airplane struck a redwood tree about 3 miles, northeast of the Little River airport. The airplane burned, leaving only the wings, engine, and a portion of the tail.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ACCORDING TO JOHN MERRIMAN, OWNER OF COAST FLYERS, BASED AT THE MENDOCINO AIRPORT (O48), HE HEARD AN AIRPLANE CIRCLING OVERHEAD. THE AIRPORT OFFICE WAS CLOSED WHICH, NORMALLY OPERATES THE UNICOM, SO JOHN WENT OUTSIDE WITH HIS HAND HELD RADIO AND CALLED THE AIRPLANE CIRCLING AND ASKED IF HE COULD HELP. JOEL BORNSTEIN ANSWERED AND SAID, "HI JOHN ITS JOEL, DO YOU SEE ANY HOLES IN THE CLOUD COVER." JOHN ANSWERED HE DID NOT, AND THAT THE CEILING WAS LOW AND DID NOT LOOK GOOD. A FEW MINUTES LATER JOEL SAID "I HAVE THE AIRPORT, 30 SECONDS LATER JOEL SAID "UH-OH, I LOST THE AIRPORT." THAT WAS THE LAST TRANSMISSION JOHN HEARD. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A REDWOOD TREE ABOUT 3 MILES, NORTHEAST OF THE LITTLE RIVER AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE BURNED, LEAVING ONLY THE WINGS, ENGINE, AND A PORTION OF THE TAIL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.