What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On April 18th, 2003 at approximately 07:30 am, commercial pilot david nichols departed the wenatchee, Washington airport (eat) in 4178T, a 1965 Cessna 320 aircraft. Mr nichols was accompanied by one male passenger. This particular aircraft was not equipped for flight in icing conditions. 107 gallons of fuel was purchased for N4178T prior to departure from the wenatchee airport. This aircraft had only two seats installed and was equipped with two additional wing locker tanks. The weather report at the wenatchee airport at the time of departure was reported at 8,000 feet MSL. Another pilot who witnessed the departure of N4178T reported IFR conditions west of the wenatchee airport in the higher terrain. N4178T had departed without an IFR or VFR flight plan. The destination of N4178T was, and remains unknown. Two aircraft operating in the twisp, Washington area observed the Cessna 320 aircraft flying northbound at altitudes described between 200' & 500' feet AGL northbound up the methow valley. These were the last sightings of N4178T at approximately 08:00 am. Pilots in the twisp, Washington area estimated the ceiling to be 5,000 feet MSL with isolated rain showers and decreasingconditions to the northwest. On August 8, 2003 a fire fighting helicopter, operating over the pasayten wilderness area located the aircraft. The crash site is located 8.5 nautical miles north of the Lost River airport (W12). During the faa/ntsb onsite investigation the specific site was determined to be N48'47.36.96 W120'33.59.64 at 5076 MSL in a "box canyon". At the accident scene investigation, al indications were that both engines were providing power at the time of impact. The remains of two occupants were located at the crash site. An inspection of the aircraft interior revealed a small amount of a "green leafy substance" and $118,000 cash. The okanogan county sheriff's office is conducting an investigation into this matter.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON APRIL 18TH, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 07:30 AM, COMMERCIAL PILOT DAVID NICHOLS DEPARTED THE WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON AIRPORT (EAT) IN 4178T, A 1965 CESSNA 320 AIRCRAFT. MR NICHOLS WAS ACCOMPANIED BY ONE MALE PASSENGER. THIS PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED FOR FLIGHT IN ICING CONDITIONS. 107 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS PURCHASED FOR N4178T PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM THE WENATCHEE AIRPORT. THIS AIRCRAFT HAD ONLY TWO SEATS INSTALLED AND WAS EQUIPPED WITH TWO ADDITIONAL WING LOCKER TANKS. THE WEATHER REPORT AT THE WENATCHEE AIRPORT AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE WAS REPORTED AT 8,000 FEET MSL. ANOTHER PILOT WHO WITNESSED THE DEPARTURE OF N4178T REPORTED IFR CONDITIONS WEST OF THE WENATCHEE AIRPORT IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN. N4178T HAD DEPARTED WITHOUT AN IFR OR VFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE DESTINATION OF N4178T WAS, AND REMAINS UNKNOWN. TWO AIRCRAFT OPERATING IN THE TWISP, WASHINGTON AREA OBSERVED THE CESSNA 320 AIRCRAFT FLYING NORTHBOUND AT ALTITUDES DESCRIBED BETWEEN 200' & 500' FEET AGL NORTHBOUND UP THE METHOW VALLEY. THESE WERE THE LAST SIGHTINGS OF N4178T AT APPROXIMATELY 08:00 AM. PILOTS IN THE TWISP, WASHINGTON AREA ESTIMATED THE CEILING TO BE 5,000 FEET MSL WITH ISOLATED RAIN SHOWERS AND DECREASINGCONDITIONS TO THE NORTHWEST. ON AUGUST 8, 2003 A FIRE FIGHTING HELICOPTER, OPERATING OVER THE PASAYTEN WILDERNESS AREA LOCATED THE AIRCRAFT. THE CRASH SITE IS LOCATED 8.5 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF THE LOST RIVER AIRPORT (W12). DURING THE FAA/NTSB ONSITE INVESTIGATION THE SPECIFIC SITE WAS DETERMINED TO BE N48'47.36.96 W120'33.59.64 AT 5076 MSL IN A "BOX CANYON". AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE INVESTIGATION, AL INDICATIONS WERE THAT BOTH ENGINES WERE PROVIDING POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. THE REMAINS OF TWO OCCUPANTS WERE LOCATED AT THE CRASH SITE. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT INTERIOR REVEALED A SMALL AMOUNT OF A "GREEN LEAFY SUBSTANCE" AND $118,000 CASH. THE OKANOGAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER.
Other reports on N4178T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.