What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) On July 18, 2003, about 0947 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23-235 , N4928P, registered to and operated by a private individual, crashed on airport property shortly after takeoff from the Freeport international airport, Freeport, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the non-U.S. Operated personal flight. The airplane was destroyed and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The flight had originated about 2 minutes earlier. According to an air traffic controller, the airplane was observed after takeoff at 100 feet above ground level, in a left turn. The pilot broadcast on the frequency that he had "lost one engine", and would be returning to land. The airplane was then observed in a steep turn followed by the nose of the airplane pitching down. The airplane impacted terrain about 400 yards from the north airport fence; fire and smoke was observed following the impact. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of the Bahamas. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: manager of flight standards, Bahamas p.o. box ap 59244 nassau, n.p. Bahamas phone: (242) 377-3445-3448 facsimile: (242) 377-6060 this report is for information purposes only and contains only information obtained for or released by the bahamian government.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) ON JULY 18, 2003, ABOUT 0947 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-23-235 , N4928P, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, CRASHED ON AIRPORT PROPERTY SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE FREEPORT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FREEPORT, BAHAMAS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE NON-U.S. OPERATED PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED ABOUT 2 MINUTES EARLIER. ACCORDING TO AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED AFTER TAKEOFF AT 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, IN A LEFT TURN. THE PILOT BROADCAST ON THE FREQUENCY THAT HE HAD "LOST ONE ENGINE", AND WOULD BE RETURNING TO LAND. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN OBSERVED IN A STEEP TURN FOLLOWED BY THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE PITCHING DOWN. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 400 YARDS FROM THE NORTH AIRPORT FENCE; FIRE AND SMOKE WAS OBSERVED FOLLOWING THE IMPACT. THE INVESTIGATION IS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS. ANY FURTHER INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS ACCIDENT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM: MANAGER OF FLIGHT STANDARDS, BAHAMAS P.O. BOX AP 59244 NASSAU, N.P. BAHAMAS PHONE: (242) 377-3445-3448 FACSIMILE: (242) 377-6060 THIS REPORT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND CONTAINS ONLY INFORMATION OBTAINED FOR OR RELEASED BY THE BAHAMIAN GOVERNMENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.