What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 13, 2002, sometime after 0844 Alaska standard time, a float-equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N9701G, is presumed to have crashed into the water, about 40 miles northwest of petersburg, Alaska. The airplane has not been located and is presumed to have been destroyed. The airplane was being operated as a VFR personal flight under title 14, CFR part 91. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the point of departure, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the petersburg airport about 0826. At 0844, while in the vicinity of mount franshaw the pilot contacted the sitka afss, he reported that deteriorating weather conditions would not allow him to complete his flight. He then requested that his flight plan be amended to show his route of flight from petersburg to seymour canal, gambier bay, pybus bay, returning to petersburg. No further radio communication was received. On December 30, 2002, the pilot's body was discovered in the tidal ocean waters along the northerly shore of west brother island, at latitude 57.18.23 north, and longitude 133.51.07 west. Awaiting autopsy report for cause ofdeath.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 13, 2002, SOMETIME AFTER 0844 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A FLOAT-EQUIPPED CESSNA 180 AIRPLANE, N9701G, IS PRESUMED TO HAVE CRASHED INTO THE WATER, ABOUT 40 MILES NORTHWEST OF PETERSBURG, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED AND IS PRESUMED TO HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VFR PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO, AND OPERATED BY, THE PILOT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE POINT OF DEPARTURE, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE PETERSBURG AIRPORT ABOUT 0826. AT 0844, WHILE IN THE VICINITY OF MOUNT FRANSHAW THE PILOT CONTACTED THE SITKA AFSS, HE REPORTED THAT DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO COMPLETE HIS FLIGHT. HE THEN REQUESTED THAT HIS FLIGHT PLAN BE AMENDED TO SHOW HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT FROM PETERSBURG TO SEYMOUR CANAL, GAMBIER BAY, PYBUS BAY, RETURNING TO PETERSBURG. NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATION WAS RECEIVED. ON DECEMBER 30, 2002, THE PILOT'S BODY WAS DISCOVERED IN THE TIDAL OCEAN WATERS ALONG THE NORTHERLY SHORE OF WEST BROTHER ISLAND, AT LATITUDE 57.18.23 NORTH, AND LONGITUDE 133.51.07 WEST. AWAITING AUTOPSY REPORT FOR CAUSE OFDEATH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.