What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) 12/14/2003, Flight originated at tucson, AZ, to Tonapah, NV. Nevada covered with large areas of snow storms. Initial radar contact at 18307 @ 120, altimeter issued to acft at 1842, acft given GPS to rwy 15 and told to report cncl/arr on zlc freq or through rno fss. Last radar contact was at 1853Z, 18, 16, 25 N/117, 14, 41 w. @ 7500. Weather report: specl 141824Z auto VRB03KT 10SM SCTTO19 BKN070 BKN080 01/MO3 A2987 rmk AO2 fzrano specl 141842Z auto VRB05KT 2SM-SN FEW020 BKN028 01/M03 A2987 rmk AO2 SNB40 P0000 fzrano aircraft located 12/17/2003 at 7200 ft, 38, 15, 88N, 117, 14, 18 w pilot apparently became disoriented due to the weather conditions and when trying to intersect the rny 15 heading, flew the airplane into raising terrain.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) 12/14/2003, FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT TUCSON, AZ, TO TONAPAH, NV. NEVADA COVERED WITH LARGE AREAS OF SNOW STORMS. INITIAL RADAR CONTACT AT 18307 @ 120, ALTIMETER ISSUED TO ACFT AT 1842, ACFT GIVEN GPS TO RWY 15 AND TOLD TO REPORT CNCL/ARR ON ZLC FREQ OR THROUGH RNO FSS. LAST RADAR CONTACT WAS AT 1853Z, 18, 16, 25 N/117, 14, 41 W. @ 7500. WEATHER REPORT: SPECL 141824Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM SCTTO19 BKN070 BKN080 01/MO3 A2987 RMK AO2 FZRANO SPECL 141842Z AUTO VRB05KT 2SM-SN FEW020 BKN028 01/M03 A2987 RMK AO2 SNB40 P0000 FZRANO AIRCRAFT LOCATED 12/17/2003 AT 7200 FT, 38, 15, 88N, 117, 14, 18 W PILOT APPARENTLY BECAME DISORIENTED DUE TO THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND WHEN TRYING TO INTERSECT THE RNY 15 HEADING, FLEW THE AIRPLANE INTO RAISING TERRAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.