What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 9, 2005, at approximately 1950 EST, a Cessna 172RG, N6085R was destroyed when it impacted terrain during a personal flight. The private pilot was fatally injured. Dayton international airport, located 41 miles from the crash site was reporting 2 mile visibility and 600 foot overcast at the time of the accident. The pilot departed battle creek, mi for lexington, KY without receiving any weather briefing as reported by the aircraft owner who was flying with the accident pilot until battle creek, mi additionally, fss and duat's records show no contact by the pilot. Prior to the accident, the pilot radioed muncie tower in Indiana and stated that he had flown into IMC conditions. Witnesses adjacent to the field where the aircraft crashed saw the aircraft flying erratically at approximately 500 feet as if the pilot was disoriented. The post crash aircraft wreckage inspection revealed that the aircraft was mechanically sound and operating normally prior to contacting the ground. The aircraft configuration at the time of impact was landing gear and flaps up. The crash site wreckage indicates a high velocity, medium angle impact. Refuel records and post crash fire indicate fuel on board.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 9, 2005, AT APPROXIMATELY 1950 EST, A CESSNA 172RG, N6085R WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING A PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. DAYTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, LOCATED 41 MILES FROM THE CRASH SITE WAS REPORTING 2 MILE VISIBILITY AND 600 FOOT OVERCAST AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT DEPARTED BATTLE CREEK, MI FOR LEXINGTON, KY WITHOUT RECEIVING ANY WEATHER BRIEFING AS REPORTED BY THE AIRCRAFT OWNER WHO WAS FLYING WITH THE ACCIDENT PILOT UNTIL BATTLE CREEK, MI ADDITIONALLY, FSS AND DUAT'S RECORDS SHOW NO CONTACT BY THE PILOT. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT RADIOED MUNCIE TOWER IN INDIANA AND STATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN INTO IMC CONDITIONS. WITNESSES ADJACENT TO THE FIELD WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED SAW THE AIRCRAFT FLYING ERRATICALLY AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AS IF THE PILOT WAS DISORIENTED. THE POST CRASH AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS MECHANICALLY SOUND AND OPERATING NORMALLY PRIOR TO CONTACTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CONFIGURATION AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WAS LANDING GEAR AND FLAPS UP. THE CRASH SITE WRECKAGE INDICATES A HIGH VELOCITY, MEDIUM ANGLE IMPACT. REFUEL RECORDS AND POST CRASH FIRE INDICATE FUEL ON BOARD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.