What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft departed mccormick county airport at approximately 1810 EST for greenwood municipal airport, greenwood, south carolina approximately 20 statute miles to the north north west. At a point nearly halfway, and in the vicinity of the town of bradley, a witness stated that he heard the airplane flying towards greenwood, hear the airplane reverse course back towards mccormick, heard the engine sputter, and then heard the crash. The airplane struck the ground at about a forty-five degree angle and a high rate of speed at 1856 EST. The pilot and his three passengers received fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed. This was a personal VFR flight under 14 CFR part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MCCORMICK COUNTY AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1810 EST FOR GREENWOOD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, GREENWOOD, SOUTH CAROLINA APPROXIMATELY 20 STATUTE MILES TO THE NORTH NORTH WEST. AT A POINT NEARLY HALFWAY, AND IN THE VICINITY OF THE TOWN OF BRADLEY, A WITNESS STATED THAT HE HEARD THE AIRPLANE FLYING TOWARDS GREENWOOD, HEAR THE AIRPLANE REVERSE COURSE BACK TOWARDS MCCORMICK, HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTER, AND THEN HEARD THE CRASH. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND AT ABOUT A FORTY-FIVE DEGREE ANGLE AND A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AT 1856 EST. THE PILOT AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THIS WAS A PERSONAL VFR FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.