What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On February 12, 2002, about 1530 eastern standard time, an aero commander 500U, N441WW, registered to aircenter, inc., collided with wooded terrain in the big frog wilderness area of the cherokee national forest near Copperhill, Tennessee. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed, and the commercial pilot received serious injuries. The flight departed andrews-murphy airport in andrews, north carolina, at an undetermined time. The flight was reportedly en route to barwick lafayette airport in lafayette, Georgia. Witnesses reported hearing the airplane flying low in the vicinity of the accident site prior to its impact with the wooded terrain. (-23) on 02/12/2002 Mr. Gadberry departed rhp at 1430 local time to fly to 9A5. At about 1530 a privacy data omitted (retired forest service) heard an airplane spitting and sputtering and quit. It restarted for about 10 seconds and quit again, that's all. privacy data omitted Drove upon the accident site and called 911. They stated they didn't smell or see fuel leaking. EMS from life force at erlanger hospital in chattanooga, privacy data omitted stated no fuel smell or leakage. They asked Mr. Gadberry what happened and he stated fuel. Polk county sheriff deputy joe price and cherokee national forest law enforcement ranger jane wright both stated no fuel smell or leakage and both heard Mr. Gadberry state he ran out fuel. When I (ASI mcmanaman) arrived at about 1830 to the accident, I did not smell fuel or see any leaking. I checked the fuel tank and it was empty. When atlanta aircraft recovery extracted this aircraft privacy data omitted confirmed fuel exhaustion on 02/19/02.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON FEBRUARY 12, 2002, ABOUT 1530 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AN AERO COMMANDER 500U, N441WW, REGISTERED TO AIRCENTER, INC., COLLIDED WITH WOODED TERRAIN IN THE BIG FROG WILDERNESS AREA OF THE CHEROKEE NATIONAL FOREST NEAR COPPERHILL, TENNESSEE. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED ANDREWS-MURPHY AIRPORT IN ANDREWS, NORTH CAROLINA, AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. THE FLIGHT WAS REPORTEDLY EN ROUTE TO BARWICK LAFAYETTE AIRPORT IN LAFAYETTE, GEORGIA. WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING THE AIRPLANE FLYING LOW IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE PRIOR TO ITS IMPACT WITH THE WOODED TERRAIN. (-23) ON 02/12/2002 MR. GADBERRY DEPARTED RHP AT 1430 LOCAL TIME TO FLY TO 9A5. AT ABOUT 1530 A ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^ (RETIRED FOREST SERVICE) HEARD AN AIRPLANE SPITTING AND SPUTTERING AND QUIT. IT RESTARTED FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS AND QUIT AGAIN, THAT'S ALL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DROVE UPON THE ACCIDENT SITE AND CALLED 911. THEY STATED THEY DIDN'T SMELL OR SEE FUEL LEAKING. EMS FROM LIFE FORCE AT ERLANGER HOSPITAL IN CHATTANOOGA, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED NO FUEL SMELL OR LEAKAGE. THEY ASKED MR.GADBERRY WHAT HAPPENED AND HE STATED FUEL. POLK COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTY JOE PRICE AND CHEROKEE NATIONAL FOREST LAW ENFORCEMENT RANGER JANE WRIGHT BOTH STATED NO FUEL SMELL OR LEAKAGE AND BOTH HEARD MR. GADBERRY STATE HE RAN OUT FUEL. WHEN I (ASI MCMANAMAN) ARRIVED AT ABOUT 1830 TO THE ACCIDENT, I DID NOT SMELL FUEL OR SEE ANY LEAKING. I CHECKED THE FUEL TANK AND IT WAS EMPTY. WHEN ATLANTA AIRCRAFT RECOVERY EXTRACTED THIS AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONFIRMED FUEL EXHAUSTION ON 02/19/02.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.