What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 04/23/02, Mr. Darrell gene hatcher, holder of ATP pilot certificate no. 1670012, was pilot in command and sole occupant of N101LT, a Piper Aerostar (PA-60-601P). At approximately 1130 hrs. Local (MST), Mr. Hatcher departed the lamar, CO. Municipal airport enroute to the liberal, KS municipal airport. At approximately 1343 (CST) prior to the fatal event, witnesses observed the aircraft smoking and circling. The aircraft came to rest in an open field approximately 2 miles southwest of Moscow, KS. The pilot was fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed. (.19) on April 23, 2002, at 1343 central daylight time, a Piper Aerostar 601P, N101LT, piloted by an airline transport pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while attempting a forced landing following an in-flight fire during cruise flight. The airplane came to rest in a harvested cornfield near Moscow, Kansas. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and was not on a flight plan. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The flight originated from the lamar municipal airport, lamar, Colorado, about 1200 mountain daylight tim e, and was en route to the liberal municipal airport, liberal Kansas.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 04/23/02, MR. DARRELL GENE HATCHER, HOLDER OF ATP PILOT CERTIFICATE NO. 1670012, WAS PILOT IN COMMAND AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF N101LT, A PIPER AEROSTAR (PA-60-601P). AT APPROXIMATELY 1130 HRS. LOCAL (MST), MR. HATCHER DEPARTED THE LAMAR, CO. MUNICIPAL AIRPORT ENROUTE TO THE LIBERAL, KS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1343 (CST) PRIOR TO THE FATAL EVENT, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT SMOKING AND CIRCLING. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN AN OPEN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MOSCOW, KS. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. (.19) ON APRIL 23, 2002, AT 1343 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER AEROSTAR 601P, N101LT, PILOTED BY AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A HARVESTED CORNFIELD NEAR MOSCOW, KANSAS. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND WAS NOT ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE LAMAR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, LAMAR, COLORADO, ABOUT 1200 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIM E, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO THE LIBERAL MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, LIBERAL KANSAS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.