What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On January 3, 2003, Mr. Lawrence thomas williams (FAA cert# 413343941) was the pilot in command (PIC) of a Cessna 150 airplane (N6098G) on a VFR flight from saint simons island, Georgia (kssi), to macon, Georgia (kmcn). There were no other persons on board the airplane. N6098G departed malcolm mckinnon field (kssi), st. simons island, Georgia, on VFR flightplan at 1330Z (universal time) on January 3, 2003. About 1410Z, approximately 40-minutes after departing kssi, the flight experienced a loss of engine power. N6098G was flying between ssi and amg on airway V362 at 6,000 ft. when it lost power. N6098G informed macon flight service (mcn afss) that the flight was having fuel problems and was losing altitude. There was no further radio communication between N6098G and mcn fss--the flight did not declare an emergency. The PIC attempted to restore engine power, but he was unsuccessful. During descent, the PIC maneuvered the airplane to make an off-field landing land in a forested area comprised of young pine trees growing in deeply furrowed earthen rows. The PIC attempted to land the airplane on a hard-packed dirt service road, but during the landing flare the left wingtip of theairplane struck a small pine tree causing loss of controlled flight. The airplane turned left, and the nosewheel impacted soft ground and broke off. The airplane flipped over onto its back with the wings resting flat upon the ground. The Wayne County sheriff department located the accident airplane near flowers break road in Wayne County, Georgia (N31.25.9-W081.49.2). Although the airplane was substantially damaged in the crash, the PIC was uninjured. No persons on the ground were injured, and ground property damage was confined to broken tree branches.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JANUARY 3, 2003, MR. LAWRENCE THOMAS WILLIAMS (FAA CERT# 413343941) WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) OF A CESSNA 150 AIRPLANE (N6098G) ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM SAINT SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA (KSSI), TO MACON, GEORGIA (KMCN). THERE WERE NO OTHER PERSONS ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE. N6098G DEPARTED MALCOLM MCKINNON FIELD (KSSI), ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA, ON VFR FLIGHTPLAN AT 1330Z (UNIVERSAL TIME) ON JANUARY 3, 2003. ABOUT 1410Z, APPROXIMATELY 40-MINUTES AFTER DEPARTING KSSI, THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. N6098G WAS FLYING BETWEEN SSI AND AMG ON AIRWAY V362 AT 6,000 FT. WHEN IT LOST POWER. N6098G INFORMED MACON FLIGHT SERVICE (MCN AFSS) THAT THE FLIGHT WAS HAVING FUEL PROBLEMS AND WAS LOSING ALTITUDE. THERE WAS NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN N6098G AND MCN FSS--THE FLIGHT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE ENGINE POWER, BUT HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. DURING DESCENT, THE PIC MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO MAKE AN OFF-FIELD LANDING LAND IN A FORESTED AREA COMPRISED OF YOUNG PINE TREES GROWING IN DEEPLY FURROWED EARTHEN ROWS. THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE ON A HARD-PACKED DIRT SERVICE ROAD, BUT DURING THE LANDING FLARE THE LEFT WINGTIP OF THEAIRPLANE STRUCK A SMALL PINE TREE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROLLED FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE TURNED LEFT, AND THE NOSEWHEEL IMPACTED SOFT GROUND AND BROKE OFF. THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK WITH THE WINGS RESTING FLAT UPON THE GROUND. THE WAYNE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT LOCATED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE NEAR FLOWERS BREAK ROAD IN WAYNE COUNTY, GEORGIA (N31.25.9-W081.49.2). ALTHOUGH THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED IN THE CRASH, THE PIC WAS UNINJURED. NO PERSONS ON THE GROUND WERE INJURED, AND GROUND PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS CONFINED TO BROKEN TREE BRANCHES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.