What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft contacted the ground after pilot made several turns and loss of altitude during an IFR flight from manteo, NC to shelby, NC. Controllers reported the pilot made several turns beyond what was instructed and would not hold altitude or assigned heading. Ground witness stated he heard and saw the aircraft just above the tree tops and then heard the engine RPM go high. The aircraft went out of site and then he heard a loud bang noise. Aircraft left wing separated from the aircraft approximately 1 street block from the initial impact. All four (4) persons received fatal injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND AFTER PILOT MADE SEVERAL TURNS AND LOSS OF ALTITUDE DURING AN IFR FLIGHT FROM MANTEO, NC TO SHELBY, NC. CONTROLLERS REPORTED THE PILOT MADE SEVERAL TURNS BEYOND WHAT WAS INSTRUCTED AND WOULD NOT HOLD ALTITUDE OR ASSIGNED HEADING. GROUND WITNESS STATED HE HEARD AND SAW THE AIRCRAFT JUST ABOVE THE TREE TOPS AND THEN HEARD THE ENGINE RPM GO HIGH. THE AIRCRAFT WENT OUT OF SITE AND THEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG NOISE. AIRCRAFT LEFT WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 1 STREET BLOCK FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT. ALL FOUR (4) PERSONS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.