What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N9928H, registered to and operated by the civil air patrol as cap 4928 and piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed when it struck a steel cable and impacted the snake river approximately 6 miles north of Alpine, Wyoming. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The public use flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 without a flight plan. The flight originated at jackson (jac), Wyoming, at 0843. The pilot was en route to afton (afo), Wyoming, where he was to administer a checkride to another cap member. An eyewitness saw the airplane fly past her position in the grand canyon of the snake river. She stated that the airplane was below the highway and below the treetops. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft was located inverted in the river.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N9928H, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE CIVIL AIR PATROL AS CAP 4928 AND PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT STRUCK A STEEL CABLE AND IMPACTED THE SNAKE RIVER APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES NORTH OF ALPINE, WYOMING. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PUBLIC USE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT JACKSON (JAC), WYOMING, AT 0843. THE PILOT WAS EN ROUTE TO AFTON (AFO), WYOMING, WHERE HE WAS TO ADMINISTER A CHECKRIDE TO ANOTHER CAP MEMBER. AN EYEWITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE FLY PAST HER POSITION IN THE GRAND CANYON OF THE SNAKE RIVER. SHE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS BELOW THE HIGHWAY AND BELOW THE TREETOPS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED INVERTED IN THE RIVER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.