What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot went inadvertent IMC while enroute to sevierville, TN. Witness at the scene observed the aircraft come out of overcast and go back in the clouds again. He was then observed exiting the clouds in a nose low, right wing high attitude. He impacted the trees with the same attitude, both wings were separated from the aircraft by the trees. The fuselage continued on impacting dead trees and the ground. The pilot was killed on impact. No maintenance abnormalities were found on the aircraft at the scene.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WENT INADVERTENT IMC WHILE ENROUTE TO SEVIERVILLE, TN. WITNESS AT THE SCENE OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT COME OUT OF OVERCAST AND GO BACK IN THE CLOUDS AGAIN. HE WAS THEN OBSERVED EXITING THE CLOUDS IN A NOSE LOW, RIGHT WING HIGH ATTITUDE. HE IMPACTED THE TREES WITH THE SAME ATTITUDE, BOTH WINGS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT BY THE TREES. THE FUSELAGE CONTINUED ON IMPACTING DEAD TREES AND THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS KILLED ON IMPACT. NO MAINTENANCE ABNORMALITIES WERE FOUND ON THE AIRCRAFT AT THE SCENE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.