What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 03/30/2007, at approximately 0144 hours PDT, a ryan navion-a, N4369K, experienced an in-flight breakup near Los Banos, CA. The private pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. The flight departed from Los Banos municipal airport (lsn) at about 0124 hours PDT with an unknown destination. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. On 03/30/2007, the FAA issued an alert notification (alnot) after being informed by family members that the airplane was missing and overdue. Both civil air patrol and local authorities were notified. The airplane wreckage was discovered at approximately 1930 hours PDT. Prior to discovery of the missing airplane, detectives from the Los Banos police department interviewed family and friends of the pilot and passenger. During the course of the interviews, detectives determined that both the pilot and passenger had each consumed between 8 to 19 beers between 1800 and 2400 hours PDT on 03/29/2007. Prior to the flight, the pilot and passenger had departed from a local bar in Los Banos, CA where patrons had overheard discussions between them about doing some "crazy" aerobatics.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 03/30/2007, AT APPROXIMATELY 0144 HOURS PDT, A RYAN NAVION-A, N4369K, EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP NEAR LOS BANOS, CA. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES; THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM LOS BANOS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (LSN) AT ABOUT 0124 HOURS PDT WITH AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ON 03/30/2007, THE FAA ISSUED AN ALERT NOTIFICATION (ALNOT) AFTER BEING INFORMED BY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS MISSING AND OVERDUE. BOTH CIVIL AIR PATROL AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES WERE NOTIFIED. THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE WAS DISCOVERED AT APPROXIMATELY 1930 HOURS PDT. PRIOR TO DISCOVERY OF THE MISSING AIRPLANE, DETECTIVES FROM THE LOS BANOS POLICE DEPARTMENT INTERVIEWED FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE PILOT AND PASSENGER. DURING THE COURSE OF THE INTERVIEWS, DETECTIVES DETERMINED THAT BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER HAD EACH CONSUMED BETWEEN 8 TO 19 BEERS BETWEEN 1800 AND 2400 HOURS PDT ON 03/29/2007. PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER HAD DEPARTED FROM A LOCAL BAR IN LOS BANOS, CA WHERE PATRONS HAD OVERHEARD DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THEM ABOUT DOING SOME "CRAZY" AEROBATICS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.