What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 7, 2003, at approximately 1708 pacific standard time, a Piper PA28R-200, N16264, collided with hilly terrain about 6 miles southwest of Chino, California. The airplane, which was destroyed, was operated by the owner/pilot. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight operating under 14 CFR part 91 of the federal aviation regulations originated at long beach, California, at 1649, and was destined for corona, California. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the accident area, and no flight plan had been filed. The airplane departed long beach in visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with a 1,300-foot overcast. At 1653, the pilot contacted the fullerton (ful) air traffic control tower for transitioning through their airspace. At 1700, the pilot requested a frequency change from the fullerton frequency and the last recorded radar contact was 1707. The ful weather was VFR with a 1,700-foot overcast. Chino's (cno) weather observation facility reported the weather conditions at 1653 to be low cloud conditions, thin broken, at 900-foot AGL with a 1500-foot overcast. Separating the long beach and corona airports are a range of low Hills, which rise to 1,781 feet mean sea level (MSL). The accident site was at an elevation of about 1,400 feet MSL and located in the Chino Hills state park. Subsequent tear down inspection of the aircraft and engine conducted by the NTSB and the oem's revealed no mechanical problems.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 7, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 1708 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA28R-200, N16264, COLLIDED WITH HILLY TERRAIN ABOUT 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CHINO, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE, WHICH WAS DESTROYED, WAS OPERATED BY THE OWNER/PILOT. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS ORIGINATED AT LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, AT 1649, AND WAS DESTINED FOR CORONA, CALIFORNIA. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE ACCIDENT AREA, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED LONG BEACH IN VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) CONDITIONS WITH A 1,300-FOOT OVERCAST. AT 1653, THE PILOT CONTACTED THE FULLERTON (FUL) AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER FOR TRANSITIONING THROUGH THEIR AIRSPACE. AT 1700, THE PILOT REQUESTED A FREQUENCY CHANGE FROM THE FULLERTON FREQUENCY AND THE LAST RECORDED RADAR CONTACT WAS 1707. THE FUL WEATHER WAS VFR WITH A 1,700-FOOT OVERCAST. CHINO'S (CNO) WEATHER OBSERVATION FACILITY REPORTED THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT 1653 TO BE LOW CLOUD CONDITIONS, THIN BROKEN, AT 900-FOOT AGL WITH A 1500-FOOT OVERCAST. SEPARATING THE LONG BEACH AND CORONA AIRPORTS ARE A RANGE OF LOW HILLS, WHICH RISE TO 1,781 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL). THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 1,400 FEET MSL AND LOCATED IN THE CHINO HILLS STATE PARK. SUBSEQUENT TEAR DOWN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE CONDUCTED BY THE NTSB AND THE OEM'S REVEALED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.