What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On January 23, 2002, about 0735 eastern standard time, a Cessna 402B, N371JD, piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed when it impacted the ground near bronson, Michigan. A witness described the airplane maneuvering at a low altitude just prior to impact. The 14 CFR part 91 positioning flight was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan in instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The flight originated from the Kirsch Municipal Airport, Sturgis, Michigan about 0730 and was bound for the ann arbor municipal airport, ann arbor, Michigan. A witness to the accident described the airplane flying south at about 200 feet above the ground and then turning back to the north. He said that he saw the airplane making a descending left turn back to the west when the airplane pulled up sharply and then pitched nose down and impacted the ground. He said there was a large explosion and fireball. The airplane impacted the ground at coordinates 41 degrees 53.845 minutes north, 85 degrees 11.005 minutes west. (-23) aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Sturgis, Michigan airport while in a climb. Impact was 6 miles s.w. of coldwater, Michigan. Pilot was killed.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JANUARY 23, 2002, ABOUT 0735 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 402B, N371JD, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND NEAR BRONSON, MICHIGAN. A WITNESS DESCRIBED THE AIRPLANE MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 POSITIONING FLIGHT WAS OPERATING ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE KIRSCH MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, STURGIS, MICHIGAN ABOUT 0730 AND WAS BOUND FOR THE ANN ARBOR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN. A WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT DESCRIBED THE AIRPLANE FLYING SOUTH AT ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND THEN TURNING BACK TO THE NORTH. HE SAID THAT HE SAW THE AIRPLANE MAKING A DESCENDING LEFT TURN BACK TO THE WEST WHEN THE AIRPLANE PULLED UP SHARPLY AND THEN PITCHED NOSE DOWN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. HE SAID THERE WAS A LARGE EXPLOSION AND FIREBALL. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AT COORDINATES 41 DEGREES 53.845 MINUTES NORTH, 85 DEGREES 11.005 MINUTES WEST. (-23) AIRCRAFT CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM STURGIS, MICHIGAN AIRPORT WHILE IN A CLIMB. IMPACT WAS 6 MILES S.W. OF COLDWATER, MICHIGAN. PILOT WAS KILLED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.