What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 14, 2002, about 1630 eastern standard time, a Piper PA32R-300, N4451X, registered to ram air freight inc., a FAR 135 cargo operator had an in-flight collision with an antenna tower in broadway, north carolina, the tower stood approximately 2122' MSL, 1749' AGL, and was identified on the charlotte, NC sectional chart. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. On the day of the accident the flight departed greenville north carolina at 1545 and was enroute to concord NC with an ETA of approximately 1700. A flight plan was filed but was not activated. The commercial and instrument-rated pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft received fatal injuries upon contact with the tower, the aircraft exploded and was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 14, 2002, ABOUT 1630 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA32R-300, N4451X, REGISTERED TO RAM AIR FREIGHT INC., A FAR 135 CARGO OPERATOR HAD AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH AN ANTENNA TOWER IN BROADWAY, NORTH CAROLINA, THE TOWER STOOD APPROXIMATELY 2122' MSL, 1749' AGL, AND WAS IDENTIFIED ON THE CHARLOTTE, NC SECTIONAL CHART. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE FLIGHT DEPARTED GREENVILLE NORTH CAROLINA AT 1545 AND WAS ENROUTE TO CONCORD NC WITH AN ETA OF APPROXIMATELY 1700. A FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED BUT WAS NOT ACTIVATED. THE COMMERCIAL AND INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES UPON CONTACT WITH THE TOWER, THE AIRCRAFT EXPLODED AND WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4451X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.