What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 16, 2003 at 1758 EST an opperman christopher Lancair iv-p, N29ME, had an inflight break-up at N33 02 38/W81 19 09 while cruising at 11,700 feet MSL and crashed at N33 02 549 W81 19 753 in an Allendale county wheat field. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR 91 with an instrument flight plan filed. The airplane was destroyed. The pilot-in-command and three passengers received fatal injuries. The flight departed portland municipal airport, portland, in (pld) at 1445 CDT enroute to beaufort county airport, beaufort, SC (73J). A review of the nexrad radar weather imagery revealed that in the vicinity of N29ME'S flight path, two large thunderstorms were present.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 16, 2003 AT 1758 EST AN OPPERMAN CHRISTOPHER LANCAIR IV-P, N29ME, HAD AN INFLIGHT BREAK-UP AT N33 02 38/W81 19 09 WHILE CRUISING AT 11,700 FEET MSL AND CRASHED AT N33 02 549 W81 19 753 IN AN ALLENDALE COUNTY WHEAT FIELD. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR 91 WITH AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND THREE PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED PORTLAND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, PORTLAND, IN (PLD) AT 1445 CDT ENROUTE TO BEAUFORT COUNTY AIRPORT, BEAUFORT, SC (73J). A REVIEW OF THE NEXRAD RADAR WEATHER IMAGERY REVEALED THAT IN THE VICINITY OF N29ME'S FLIGHT PATH, TWO LARGE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRESENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.