What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Surviving passenger states that flight originated at st. simons island, Georgia, with a planned refueling stop in nashville, tenn. Pilot was deviating to find route around weather system in Georgia and north Alabama. Survivor states the pilot was flying in the aircraft in autopilot when the engine stopped running. The pilot took control of the aircraft and started speaking with someone on the radio. He stated he had engine problems and needed to know where the closest airport was. The response from the tower was they could not see the aircraft on radar. Someone told the pilot the closest airport was 3 to 5 miles. The pilot responded that he could not make it 3 miles. The pilot stated that he was going to try and land the aircraft in a field. Survivor stated they circled around maybe 2 times then flew straight into a wooded area.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) SURVIVING PASSENGER STATES THAT FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA, WITH A PLANNED REFUELING STOP IN NASHVILLE, TENN. PILOT WAS DEVIATING TO FIND ROUTE AROUND WEATHER SYSTEM IN GEORGIA AND NORTH ALABAMA. SURVIVOR STATES THE PILOT WAS FLYING IN THE AIRCRAFT IN AUTOPILOT WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. THE PILOT TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND STARTED SPEAKING WITH SOMEONE ON THE RADIO. HE STATED HE HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS AND NEEDED TO KNOW WHERE THE CLOSEST AIRPORT WAS. THE RESPONSE FROM THE TOWER WAS THEY COULD NOT SEE THE AIRCRAFT ON RADAR. SOMEONE TOLD THE PILOT THE CLOSEST AIRPORT WAS 3 TO 5 MILES. THE PILOT RESPONDED THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE IT 3 MILES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO TRY AND LAND THE AIRCRAFT IN A FIELD. SURVIVOR STATED THEY CIRCLED AROUND MAYBE 2 TIMES THEN FLEW STRAIGHT INTO A WOODED AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.