What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Ot approximately 1800 local time on Friday, February 21, 2003, witnesses observed Piper N9YB, a PA-30, descend vertically at high speed and impact in a cabbage field about eight miles northwest of the santa maria, CA airport. The left seat was occupied by the aircraft owner, a captain for federal express. The right front seat was occupied by a commercial pilot who was also based at santa maria. Both occupants were fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. Very little physical evidence remained at the accident site which might lead to the cause of the accident, and the family of the aircraft owner refused to release either the aircraft maintenance records or the pilot logbook of the owner. The purpose of the flight is unknown, and it is assumed the two pilots, who were hangar neighbors, were on a local pleasure flight.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) OT APPROXIMATELY 1800 LOCAL TIME ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2003, WITNESSES OBSERVED PIPER N9YB, A PA-30, DESCEND VERTICALLY AT HIGH SPEED AND IMPACT IN A CABBAGE FIELD ABOUT EIGHT MILES NORTHWEST OF THE SANTA MARIA, CA AIRPORT. THE LEFT SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY THE AIRCRAFT OWNER, A CAPTAIN FOR FEDERAL EXPRESS. THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT WHO WAS ALSO BASED AT SANTA MARIA. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. VERY LITTLE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE REMAINED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WHICH MIGHT LEAD TO THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT, AND THE FAMILY OF THE AIRCRAFT OWNER REFUSED TO RELEASE EITHER THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS OR THE PILOT LOGBOOK OF THE OWNER. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT IS UNKNOWN, AND IT IS ASSUMED THE TWO PILOTS, WHO WERE HANGAR NEIGHBORS, WERE ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.