What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Inspector statement: on 04/10/2004 N860MK was part of a 3 aircraft formation which was proceeding north bound over the intercoastal waterway between titusville and new smyrna beach, Florida. The aircraft were in a slow descent thru approximately 1700 feet to comply with the class c airspace ahead. The lead aircraft was N860MK a Pilatus P3-05 while the left and right wings were RV-8 aircraft. As reported by the wing aircraft, the lead aircraft suddenly started a left erratic turn to a west bound heading. The left wing questioned the lead as to what was happening a number of times before getting a reply. During this time both wing aircraft observed dark smoke or vapor streaming from the exhaust area and the canopy obscured by the same. The first reply from N860MK was "I'm losing power, I have zero oil pressure and I can't see, I can't see, help me." The wing aircraft stated that it was apparent that he could not make either of the closest airports, (massy air ranch or oak hill). The right wing aircraft broke off formation and flew high cover while the left wing aircraft tried to steer N860MK to an open marsh area for an emergency landing. The left wing aircraft reported that N860MK was not responding to his directions and was having a hard time because he was totally blinded by the massive amounts of oil over the windshield and canopy. The pilot of N860MK then opened the canopy for better visibility, but now with oil covering his face, the situation improved very little. The left wing aircraft tried to get him in to the last small clearing available with no success. The left wing aircraft remained with N860MK continuing his efforts until just before impact. N860MK impacted the trees in a controlled wings level attitude, gear down, and still streaming oil from the tail of the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) INSPECTOR STATEMENT: ON 04/10/2004 N860MK WAS PART OF A 3 AIRCRAFT FORMATION WHICH WAS PROCEEDING NORTH BOUND OVER THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY BETWEEN TITUSVILLE AND NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLORIDA. THE AIRCRAFT WERE IN A SLOW DESCENT THRU APPROXIMATELY 1700 FEET TO COMPLY WITH THE CLASS C AIRSPACE AHEAD. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT WAS N860MK A PILATUS P3-05 WHILE THE LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS WERE RV-8 AIRCRAFT. AS REPORTED BY THE WING AIRCRAFT, THE LEAD AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY STARTED A LEFT ERRATIC TURN TO A WEST BOUND HEADING. THE LEFT WING QUESTIONED THE LEAD AS TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING A NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE GETTING A REPLY. DURING THIS TIME BOTH WING AIRCRAFT OBSERVED DARK SMOKE OR VAPOR STREAMING FROM THE EXHAUST AREA AND THE CANOPY OBSCURED BY THE SAME. THE FIRST REPLY FROM N860MK WAS "I'M LOSING POWER, I HAVE ZERO OIL PRESSURE AND I CAN'T SEE, I CAN'T SEE, HELP ME." THE WING AIRCRAFT STATED THAT IT WAS APPARENT THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE EITHER OF THE CLOSEST AIRPORTS, (MASSY AIR RANCH OR OAK HILL). THE RIGHT WING AIRCRAFT BROKE OFF FORMATION AND FLEW HIGH COVER WHILE THE LEFT WING AIRCRAFT TRIED TO STEER N860MK TO AN OPEN MARSH AREA FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE LEFT WING AIRCRAFT REPORTED THAT N860MK WAS NOT RESPONDING TO HIS DIRECTIONS AND WAS HAVING A HARD TIME BECAUSE HE WAS TOTALLY BLINDED BY THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL OVER THE WINDSHIELD AND CANOPY. THE PILOT OF N860MK THEN OPENED THE CANOPY FOR BETTER VISIBILITY, BUT NOW WITH OIL COVERING HIS FACE, THE SITUATION IMPROVED VERY LITTLE. THE LEFT WING AIRCRAFT TRIED TO GET HIM IN TO THE LAST SMALL CLEARING AVAILABLE WITH NO SUCCESS. THE LEFT WING AIRCRAFT REMAINED WITH N860MK CONTINUING HIS EFFORTS UNTIL JUST BEFORE IMPACT. N860MK IMPACTED THE TREES IN A CONTROLLED WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE, GEAR DOWN, AND STILL STREAMING OIL FROM THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.