What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On a flight from pdx to cec, while under flight following and radar contact with seattle ARTCC sector R30, N262WG reported cec in sight at 1000UTC while at 3800FT. MSL. R30 instructed N262WG to squawk 1200 and change to advisory frequency at 1000:24 and 3600FT. MSL. At 1001:48 UTC and 2900FT. MSL the aircraft turned left toward brookings. At 1003UTC N262WG radioed "seattle Glasair 2WG." R30 responded four times without any reply from N262WG. Radar data shows the aircraft descending at approximately 1000 feet per minute heading toward brookings. The last radar return records the aircraft at 400FT MSL at 1004.24UTC. The passenger's body was found by fishermen. The aircraft wreckage washed up to shore in Harbor, Oregon on February 28 and the pilot's body was recovered March 3, 2005. Autopsy results revealed the passenger died of drowning and hypothermia; her body showed no sign of physical injury which would have been fatal. The autopsy on the pilot revealed the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head; the pilot's body sustained no other broken bones, and showed no injuries typical of wearing a seat belt. Inspection of the aircraft wreckage revealed continuity of controls to the control surfaces. Flaps appeared to be extended. First third of left wing was missing. The engine and propeller had become separated from the aircraft. The engine mount was found still secured to the firewall; its tubular structure was severed at various places. Engine controls, wiring, and hoses forward of the firewall showed signs of breakage damage and stress. The fuel feed line originating from the fuel boost pump was not damaged as was expected; its b-nut was found in good condition.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON A FLIGHT FROM PDX TO CEC, WHILE UNDER FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND RADAR CONTACT WITH SEATTLE ARTCC SECTOR R30, N262WG REPORTED CEC IN SIGHT AT 1000UTC WHILE AT 3800FT. MSL. R30 INSTRUCTED N262WG TO SQUAWK 1200 AND CHANGE TO ADVISORY FREQUENCY AT 1000:24 AND 3600FT. MSL. AT 1001:48 UTC AND 2900FT. MSL THE AIRCRAFT TURNED LEFT TOWARD BROOKINGS. AT 1003UTC N262WG RADIOED "SEATTLE GLASAIR 2WG." R30 RESPONDED FOUR TIMES WITHOUT ANY REPLY FROM N262WG. RADAR DATA SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDING AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET PER MINUTE HEADING TOWARD BROOKINGS. THE LAST RADAR RETURN RECORDS THE AIRCRAFT AT 400FT MSL AT 1004.24UTC. THE PASSENGER'S BODY WAS FOUND BY FISHERMEN. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WASHED UP TO SHORE IN HARBOR, OREGON ON FEBRUARY 28 AND THE PILOT'S BODY WAS RECOVERED MARCH 3, 2005. AUTOPSY RESULTS REVEALED THE PASSENGER DIED OF DROWNING AND HYPOTHERMIA; HER BODY SHOWED NO SIGN OF PHYSICAL INJURY WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. THE AUTOPSY ON THE PILOT REVEALED THE CAUSE OF DEATH TO BE BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA TO THE HEAD; THE PILOT'S BODY SUSTAINED NO OTHER BROKEN BONES, AND SHOWED NO INJURIES TYPICAL OF WEARING A SEAT BELT. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE REVEALED CONTINUITY OF CONTROLS TO THE CONTROL SURFACES. FLAPS APPEARED TO BE EXTENDED. FIRST THIRD OF LEFT WING WAS MISSING. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER HAD BECOME SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS FOUND STILL SECURED TO THE FIREWALL; ITS TUBULAR STRUCTURE WAS SEVERED AT VARIOUS PLACES. ENGINE CONTROLS, WIRING, AND HOSES FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL SHOWED SIGNS OF BREAKAGE DAMAGE AND STRESS. THE FUEL FEED LINE ORIGINATING FROM THE FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS NOT DAMAGED AS WAS EXPECTED; ITS B-NUT WAS FOUND IN GOOD CONDITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.