What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot departed runway 23 from George T. Lewis Airport (cdk) Cedar Key, FL with three passengers. The airport was reported to be VFR, but very dark with no stars visible and some haze reported over the water. Witness reported the aircraft climbed to approximately 150 feet, then made an abrupt left 45 degree descending turn impacting the water surface at takeoff speed.(.19) on February 10, 2002, about 2000 eastern standard time, a Cessna TR182, N5136S, owned and operated by flying professionals inc., as a title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, crashed in the gulf of Mexico, shortly after takeoff from the Cedar Key airport, Cedar Key, Florida,. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The commercial rated-pilot and three passengers received fatal injuries. The flight was originating at the time en route to gainesville, Florida. The airplane had departed gainesville at 1630, with four persons on board for the flight to Cedar Key, in order for the occupants to have dinner at a restaurant. The occupants were seen at a restaurant and returned to the airport by taxi around 1945. Witnesses observed the airplane take off toward the gulf of Mexico and then crash into the water.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT DEPARTED RUNWAY 23 FROM GEORGE T. LEWIS AIRPORT (CDK) CEDAR KEY, FL WITH THREE PASSENGERS. THE AIRPORT WAS REPORTED TO BE VFR, BUT VERY DARK WITH NO STARS VISIBLE AND SOME HAZE REPORTED OVER THE WATER. WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET, THEN MADE AN ABRUPT LEFT 45 DEGREE DESCENDING TURN IMPACTING THE WATER SURFACE AT TAKEOFF SPEED.(.19) ON FEBRUARY 10, 2002, ABOUT 2000 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA TR182, N5136S, OWNED AND OPERATED BY FLYING PROFESSIONALS INC., AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, CRASHED IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE CEDAR KEY AIRPORT, CEDAR KEY, FLORIDA,. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE COMMERCIAL RATED-PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME EN ROUTE TO GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA. THE AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED GAINESVILLE AT 1630, WITH FOUR PERSONS ON BOARD FOR THE FLIGHT TO CEDAR KEY, IN ORDER FOR THE OCCUPANTS TO HAVE DINNER AT A RESTAURANT. THE OCCUPANTS WERE SEEN AT A RESTAURANT AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT BY TAXI AROUND 1945. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE TAKE OFF TOWARD THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THEN CRASH INTO THE WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.