What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 7, 2005 at about 1600 local time, approximately 3.6 miles northwest of runway 14 at the Ithaca airport, a Mooney airplane N1163A collided with terrain with substantial damage. The pilot privacy data omitted was the sole person on board the aircraft. The pilot privacy data omitted was interviewed by inspector ^priva^ and stated that he was talking to the Ithaca air traffic control tower. He was on a VOR approach to runway 14 about 3.6 miles from the airport, he was cleared to land when he became confused. He stated that the visibility was reported at 1.5 miles but it was much less than 1.5 miles. He continued his descending flight and the next thing he was into the trees and then hit the ground. The pilot privacy data omitted was treated and released from the hospital. The following observations were noted at the scene: 1. The pilot was injured, taken to the hospital and was released. 2. The airplane sustained structural damage. 3. The airplane crash landed in between two homes about 1.5 miles nw of runway 14. 4. The propeller was damaged. 5. The airplane had fuel and the fuel line feeding the flow divider had fuel. 6. The ignition system was checked and was found to be normal. 7. Thecompression test of all 6 cylinders was normal. 8. The weather report from noaa for the time of 1600. 9. The aircraft was equipped with GNS-530 and a garmin GA-56 GPS. 10. The transponder was set to 1054.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 7, 2005 AT ABOUT 1600 LOCAL TIME, APPROXIMATELY 3.6 MILES NORTHWEST OF RUNWAY 14 AT THE ITHACA AIRPORT, A MOONEY AIRPLANE N1163A COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA ^ WAS THE SOLE PERSON ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DAT^ WAS INTERVIEWED BY INSPECTOR ^PRIVA^ AND STATED THAT HE WAS TALKING TO THE ITHACA AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER. HE WAS ON A VOR APPROACH TO RUNWAY 14 ABOUT 3.6 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, HE WAS CLEARED TO LAND WHEN HE BECAME CONFUSED. HE STATED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS REPORTED AT 1.5 MILES BUT IT WAS MUCH LESS THAN 1.5 MILES. HE CONTINUED HIS DESCENDING FLIGHT AND THE NEXT THING HE WAS INTO THE TREES AND THEN HIT THE GROUND. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DAT^ WAS TREATED AND RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL. THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATIONS WERE NOTED AT THE SCENE: 1. THE PILOT WAS INJURED, TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND WAS RELEASED. 2. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. 3. THE AIRPLANE CRASH LANDED IN BETWEEN TWO HOMES ABOUT 1.5 MILES NW OF RUNWAY 14. 4. THE PROPELLER WAS DAMAGED. 5. THE AIRPLANE HAD FUEL AND THE FUEL LINE FEEDING THE FLOW DIVIDER HAD FUEL. 6. THE IGNITION SYSTEM WAS CHECKED AND WAS FOUND TO BE NORMAL. 7. THECOMPRESSION TEST OF ALL 6 CYLINDERS WAS NORMAL. 8. THE WEATHER REPORT FROM NOAA FOR THE TIME OF 1600. 9. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH GNS-530 AND A GARMIN GA-56 GPS. 10. THE TRANSPONDER WAS SET TO 1054.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.