What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On April 28, 2005, N8314L, a Cessna CE-172-I, with two pilots aboard, departed the Skywest airport (7T7), near Midland, Texas, at approximately 0715 CDT, for a VFR aerial patrol under title 14 CFR part 91. The purpose of the flight was to provide aerial surveillance of petroleum pipelines and oil equipment, and report any leaks to the appropriate oil company. There was no flight plan on file for the VFR flight, nor was the pilot communicating with ATC. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. At approximately 0930 CDT, an aircraft inbound for landing at the Midland international airport (maf), reported hearing an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) to maf air traffic control (ATC). At 1307 CDT, approximately, a pilot conducting aerial pipeline patrol notified maf approach control of an aircraft in a field. The aircraft was found in a remote field located at latitude n 31-43.767 and longitude w 101-52.512. Both pilots were fatally injured in the crash. The aircraft apparently struck the ground in a left wing low, nose down attitude. The wreckage and debris were in close proximity to the point of initial impact.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON APRIL 28, 2005, N8314L, A CESSNA CE-172-I, WITH TWO PILOTS ABOARD, DEPARTED THE SKYWEST AIRPORT (7T7), NEAR MIDLAND, TEXAS, AT APPROXIMATELY 0715 CDT, FOR A VFR AERIAL PATROL UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PROVIDE AERIAL SURVEILLANCE OF PETROLEUM PIPELINES AND OIL EQUIPMENT, AND REPORT ANY LEAKS TO THE APPROPRIATE OIL COMPANY. THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN ON FILE FOR THE VFR FLIGHT, NOR WAS THE PILOT COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 CDT, AN AIRCRAFT INBOUND FOR LANDING AT THE MIDLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MAF), REPORTED HEARING AN EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER (ELT) TO MAF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC). AT 1307 CDT, APPROXIMATELY, A PILOT CONDUCTING AERIAL PIPELINE PATROL NOTIFIED MAF APPROACH CONTROL OF AN AIRCRAFT IN A FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND IN A REMOTE FIELD LOCATED AT LATITUDE N 31-43.767 AND LONGITUDE W 101-52.512. BOTH PILOTS WERE FATALLY INJURED IN THE CRASH. THE AIRCRAFT APPARENTLY STRUCK THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING LOW, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE WRECKAGE AND DEBRIS WERE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE POINT OF INITIAL IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.