What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Seattle ARTCC was tracking aircraft N522A into Arcata, CA on a flight plan and lost radar contact. Aircraft impacted a 100 foot pine tree about 75 feet from the top at the top on the top of fickle hill ridge line. The aircraft broke into several hundred pieces scattering over both sides of the mountain. Local area weather reports indicate fickle hill was covered with thick fog at the time of the accident. Pilot cause of death was blunt force trauma caused by aircraft accident coroner county of humboldt as indicated on necropsy worksheet.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) SEATTLE ARTCC WAS TRACKING AIRCRAFT N522A INTO ARCATA, CA ON A FLIGHT PLAN AND LOST RADAR CONTACT. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A 100 FOOT PINE TREE ABOUT 75 FEET FROM THE TOP AT THE TOP ON THE TOP OF FICKLE HILL RIDGE LINE. THE AIRCRAFT BROKE INTO SEVERAL HUNDRED PIECES SCATTERING OVER BOTH SIDES OF THE MOUNTAIN. LOCAL AREA WEATHER REPORTS INDICATE FICKLE HILL WAS COVERED WITH THICK FOG AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. PILOT CAUSE OF DEATH WAS BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA CAUSED BY AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT CORONER COUNTY OF HUMBOLDT AS INDICATED ON NECROPSY WORKSHEET.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.