What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 9/28/2005, the pilot was scheduled for aerial patrol duties along sr 33 from Taft, CA approx 40 miles to the northwest. The aircraft did not return from this mission and was reported missing on 9/29/2005. The aircraft wreckage was located at 1840PDT on 9/29/2005 along the side of a steep ravine approximately 6 miles southwest of Taft and 2 miles west of his patrol route. The aircraft appeared to have flown into steep/sloping terrain under control and then struck a small berm causing it to flip inverted and come to a stop approximately 300 feet from first point of impact. The pilot who was not wearing a seatbelt was ejected and suffered fatal injuries. The engine mounts fractured and the engine was located approximately 200 feet down the slope from the main wreckage. Investigation determined there was flight control continuity, no immediate evidence of engine malfunction; adequate fuel supply. The apparent flight path of the aircraft indicated that it was deliberately flown up the ravine and below the ridge line. The company manager/spokesman informed investigators that there was no reason for the aircraft to be in that location.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 9/28/2005, THE PILOT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AERIAL PATROL DUTIES ALONG SR 33 FROM TAFT, CA APPROX 40 MILES TO THE NORTHWEST. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT RETURN FROM THIS MISSION AND WAS REPORTED MISSING ON 9/29/2005. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT 1840PDT ON 9/29/2005 ALONG THE SIDE OF A STEEP RAVINE APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TAFT AND 2 MILES WEST OF HIS PATROL ROUTE. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE FLOWN INTO STEEP/SLOPING TERRAIN UNDER CONTROL AND THEN STRUCK A SMALL BERM CAUSING IT TO FLIP INVERTED AND COME TO A STOP APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET FROM FIRST POINT OF IMPACT. THE PILOT WHO WAS NOT WEARING A SEATBELT WAS EJECTED AND SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. THE ENGINE MOUNTS FRACTURED AND THE ENGINE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET DOWN THE SLOPE FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THERE WAS FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY, NO IMMEDIATE EVIDENCE OF ENGINE MALFUNCTION; ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY. THE APPARENT FLIGHT PATH OF THE AIRCRAFT INDICATED THAT IT WAS DELIBERATELY FLOWN UP THE RAVINE AND BELOW THE RIDGE LINE. THE COMPANY MANAGER/SPOKESMAN INFORMED INVESTIGATORS THAT THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE AIRCRAFT TO BE IN THAT LOCATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.