What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 09-16-03 at approx. 1920 hrs. Local time, the pilot departed dekalb-peachtree airport (pdk) and flew directly to the Stone Mountain park area located east of atlanta, GA. Once at the park, the pilot circled the Mountain approx 3-4 times at an altitude of 1900 ft. MSL. Upon completing his final circle the pilot climbed to 4000 ft. MSL as he flew in a southwesterly direction away from Stone Mountain. At approx. 3 miles from Stone Mountain, the pilot made a 180 degree turn back towards Stone Mountain and began a rapid descent, flying directly towards Stone Mountain. The pilot impacted the Mountain approx 200 ft. above its base. The wreckage pattern showed the vertical fin and horizontal stabilizer approximately 300 feet above the initial impact point. The main cockpit area and both wings were located an additional 300 ft. from the tail assembly. The engine was located an additional 175 ft. above and to the left of the cockpit/wing section. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire, which consumed the aircrafts logbooks. The pilots logbook has yet to be located.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 09-16-03 AT APPROX. 1920 HRS. LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT DEPARTED DEKALB-PEACHTREE AIRPORT (PDK) AND FLEW DIRECTLY TO THE STONE MOUNTAIN PARK AREA LOCATED EAST OF ATLANTA, GA. ONCE AT THE PARK, THE PILOT CIRCLED THE MOUNTAIN APPROX 3-4 TIMES AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1900 FT. MSL. UPON COMPLETING HIS FINAL CIRCLE THE PILOT CLIMBED TO 4000 FT. MSL AS HE FLEW IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION AWAY FROM STONE MOUNTAIN. AT APPROX. 3 MILES FROM STONE MOUNTAIN, THE PILOT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TOWARDS STONE MOUNTAIN AND BEGAN A RAPID DESCENT, FLYING DIRECTLY TOWARDS STONE MOUNTAIN. THE PILOT IMPACTED THE MOUNTAIN APPROX 200 FT. ABOVE ITS BASE. THE WRECKAGE PATTERN SHOWED THE VERTICAL FIN AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET ABOVE THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. THE MAIN COCKPIT AREA AND BOTH WINGS WERE LOCATED AN ADDITIONAL 300 FT. FROM THE TAIL ASSEMBLY. THE ENGINE WAS LOCATED AN ADDITIONAL 175 FT. ABOVE AND TO THE LEFT OF THE COCKPIT/WING SECTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY A POST CRASH FIRE, WHICH CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFTS LOGBOOKS. THE PILOTS LOGBOOK HAS YET TO BE LOCATED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.