What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft in mention departed wilmington NC (ilm) on may 13, 2004 with 3 passengers, dean brennan in the right seat, alex foscue and bill coerner in the cabin. The aircraft destination was dayton international airport (day), the aircraft landed without incident. The pilot requested from executive flightline at day an oil change and to top off the fuel tanks. The pilot and his 3 passengers returned to the aircraft at day on may 16, 2004 and departed around 1800 for ilm. The pilot's flight was VFR and did not file a flight plan. Arriving at ilm around 2015/2030 with the aircraft at idle the pilot dropped off the 3 passengers. The pilot then immediately departed ilm for rdu, VFR with no flight plan. The pilot was in contact with wilmington tower, seymour johnson tower and then handed off to rdu tower. Rdu air traffic reported all transmissions with the pilot were clear and read back was precise. Rdu tower reported the pilot reported the field in sight at 7 miles out, tower reported cleared to land on 23L winds calm. At approximately 2115, altitude of 800 feet at 1.37 miles out the pilot reported he had a problem a few seconds later the pilot reported he lost his engine. Rdu ATC responded cleared to land any runway. At 2116 local time aircraft crashed .38 miles from runway 23L, impact was in a 4-foot embankment, flipped over into a creek just off of loop road on the rdu airport.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT IN MENTION DEPARTED WILMINGTON NC (ILM) ON MAY 13, 2004 WITH 3 PASSENGERS, DEAN BRENNAN IN THE RIGHT SEAT, ALEX FOSCUE AND BILL COERNER IN THE CABIN. THE AIRCRAFT DESTINATION WAS DAYTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (DAY), THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE PILOT REQUESTED FROM EXECUTIVE FLIGHTLINE AT DAY AN OIL CHANGE AND TO TOP OFF THE FUEL TANKS. THE PILOT AND HIS 3 PASSENGERS RETURNED TO THE AIRCRAFT AT DAY ON MAY 16, 2004 AND DEPARTED AROUND 1800 FOR ILM. THE PILOT'S FLIGHT WAS VFR AND DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN. ARRIVING AT ILM AROUND 2015/2030 WITH THE AIRCRAFT AT IDLE THE PILOT DROPPED OFF THE 3 PASSENGERS. THE PILOT THEN IMMEDIATELY DEPARTED ILM FOR RDU, VFR WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH WILMINGTON TOWER, SEYMOUR JOHNSON TOWER AND THEN HANDED OFF TO RDU TOWER. RDU AIR TRAFFIC REPORTED ALL TRANSMISSIONS WITH THE PILOT WERE CLEAR AND READ BACK WAS PRECISE. RDU TOWER REPORTED THE PILOT REPORTED THE FIELD IN SIGHT AT 7 MILES OUT, TOWER REPORTED CLEARED TO LAND ON 23L WINDS CALM. AT APPROXIMATELY 2115, ALTITUDE OF 800 FEET AT 1.37 MILES OUT THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD A PROBLEM A FEW SECONDS LATER THE PILOT REPORTED HE LOST HIS ENGINE. RDU ATC RESPONDED CLEARED TO LAND ANY RUNWAY. AT 2116 LOCAL TIME AIRCRAFT CRASHED .38 MILES FROM RUNWAY 23L, IMPACT WAS IN A 4-FOOT EMBANKMENT, FLIPPED OVER INTO A CREEK JUST OFF OF LOOP ROAD ON THE RDU AIRPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.