What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 6, 2006, at 0945 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 177 cardinal, N2320Y, s/n 17700120, 1967, registered to and operated by the pilot privacy data omitted , a private owner who held commercial pilot certificate privacy data omitted, as a 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, collided into a tree and powerlines during climb out from Berry Hill Airport (4A0), Stockbridge, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. A witness, who is an FAA certified pilot and was located at the airport, reported that the pilot conducted a preflight of the airplane prior to departure. The witness asked the pilot if the aircraft was in the weight and balance limits prior to his departure. The pilot responded that he felt condifent that it was. The witness reported that the pilot checked his fuel by "dipping" the tanks with a glass rod and the result indicated approximately 3/4 full. After the airplane was boarded, the pilot conducted a run-up and taxied to runway 29.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 6, 2006, AT 0945 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 177 CARDINAL, N2320Y, S/N 17700120, 1967, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ , A PRIVATE OWNER WHO HELD COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE ^PRIVACY DATA O^, AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, COLLIDED INTO A TREE AND POWERLINES DURING CLIMB OUT FROM BERRY HILL AIRPORT (4A0), STOCKBRIDGE, GEORGIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. A WITNESS, WHO IS AN FAA CERTIFIED PILOT AND WAS LOCATED AT THE AIRPORT, REPORTED THAT THE PILOT CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE WITNESS ASKED THE PILOT IF THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMITS PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE. THE PILOT RESPONDED THAT HE FELT CONDIFENT THAT IT WAS. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT CHECKED HIS FUEL BY "DIPPING" THE TANKS WITH A GLASS ROD AND THE RESULT INDICATED APPROXIMATELY 3/4 FULL. AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS BOARDED, THE PILOT CONDUCTED A RUN-UP AND TAXIED TO RUNWAY 29.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.