What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot information, hours make and model, hours last 90 days, total hours, and regulatory check-ride was not available. On October 1, 2003, Mr. Robert p. mumford jr. and passenger privacy data omitted departed Corona airport, Corona CA. Enroute to oakland CA. On an IFR flight plan, at 15:35. The aircraft crashed in the santa ana river bed located in norco CA. Mr. Mumford flew the standard IFR departure, and at 1300 feet he contacted southern California terminal radar control (so cal TRACON) declared an emergency stating he thought he had a fire on board. Airborne and ground witnesses stated they saw smoke coming from the aircraft. The post impact fire destroyed the aircraft, and Mr. Robert mumford and passenger privacy data omitted received fatal injuries. Corrective action is none at this time. The investigation has not revealed the cause of the in-flight fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT INFORMATION, HOURS MAKE AND MODEL, HOURS LAST 90 DAYS, TOTAL HOURS, AND REGULATORY CHECK-RIDE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. ON OCTOBER 1, 2003, MR. ROBERT P. MUMFORD JR. AND PASSENGER ^PRIVACY DATA^ DEPARTED CORONA AIRPORT, CORONA CA. ENROUTE TO OAKLAND CA. ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN, AT 15:35. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN THE SANTA ANA RIVER BED LOCATED IN NORCO CA. MR. MUMFORD FLEW THE STANDARD IFR DEPARTURE, AND AT 1300 FEET HE CONTACTED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TERMINAL RADAR CONTROL (SO CAL TRACON) DECLARED AN EMERGENCY STATING HE THOUGHT HE HAD A FIRE ON BOARD. AIRBORNE AND GROUND WITNESSES STATED THEY SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE POST IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT, AND MR. ROBERT MUMFORD AND PASSENGER ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^ RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. CORRECTIVE ACTION IS NONE AT THIS TIME. THE INVESTIGATION HAS NOT REVEALED THE CAUSE OF THE IN-FLIGHT FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.