What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On may 16, 2002, at 1614 central daylight time, a mark k. taber, lance air es, N600MT, registered to and operated by the private pilot, collided with terrain shortly after takeoff from the Chain municipal airport in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot and pilot rated passenger received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by impact and post-crash fire. The flight originated from the Chain municipal airport in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, at 1600. Witnesses observed the airplane as the pilot conducted touch-and-go landings. On the last take-off, witnesses stated that they heard a popping sound, and they observed the airplane in a steep right turn. Then they heard a series of three rapid pops and the airplane went nose down and impacted the ground behind trees and an explosion was heard. Examination of the airplane found it completely destroyed by impact and post-crash fire. (-23) aircraft departed hbg airport doing touch and goes. Witnesses heard loud pop and aircraft was seen in steep right turn. Three more pops were heard and the aircraft turned nose down and crashed into trees adjacent to the airport. Aircraft exploded on impact. Aircraft and occupants burned on contact.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON MAY 16, 2002, AT 1614 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A MARK K. TABER, LANCE AIR ES, N600MT, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE CHAIN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IN HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT AND PILOT RATED PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND POST-CRASH FIRE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE CHAIN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IN HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI, AT 1600. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AS THE PILOT CONDUCTED TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. ON THE LAST TAKE-OFF, WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD A POPPING SOUND, AND THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IN A STEEP RIGHT TURN. THEN THEY HEARD A SERIES OF THREE RAPID POPS AND THE AIRPLANE WENT NOSE DOWN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND BEHIND TREES AND AN EXPLOSION WAS HEARD. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FOUND IT COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND POST-CRASH FIRE. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HBG AIRPORT DOING TOUCH AND GOES. WITNESSES HEARD LOUD POP AND AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN IN STEEP RIGHT TURN. THREE MORE POPS WERE HEARD AND THE AIRCRAFT TURNED NOSE DOWN AND CRASHED INTO TREES ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT EXPLODED ON IMPACT. AIRCRAFT AND OCCUPANTS BURNED ON CONTACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.