What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The cause of the accident was dense fog meteorological IFR conditions. The pilot did not hold an instrument rating and the aircraft was not IFR certified. Pilot was unable to land at the Petaluma airport and was turning south trying to duck below the fog when he struck the hill side in dense at night.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS DENSE FOG METEOROLOGICAL IFR CONDITIONS. THE PILOT DID NOT HOLD AN INSTRUMENT RATING AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT IFR CERTIFIED. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LAND AT THE PETALUMA AIRPORT AND WAS TURNING SOUTH TRYING TO DUCK BELOW THE FOG WHEN HE STRUCK THE HILL SIDE IN DENSE AT NIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.