What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft N422G departed VFR on runway 06 at Key West international airport (eyw), enroute to leesburg international airport (lee). Aircraft was in a northeast direction leveled at 3500 ft. and attempting to pick up his IFR clearance from miami center. Controller did not have N422G on radar screen but gave aircraft an IFR transponder code and reminded the pilot that restricted area R-2916 (cudjoe key, FL) was active to 8000 ft. there were no further transmissions from the pilot and Lockheed martin employees at cudjoe key reported that they heard an airplane flying over the R-2916 site (where an unmarked weather/surveillance ballon was tethered to approximately 8000 ft). And then crash into the water about 300 yards away.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT N422G DEPARTED VFR ON RUNWAY 06 AT KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (EYW), ENROUTE TO LEESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (LEE). AIRCRAFT WAS IN A NORTHEAST DIRECTION LEVELED AT 3500 FT. AND ATTEMPTING TO PICK UP HIS IFR CLEARANCE FROM MIAMI CENTER. CONTROLLER DID NOT HAVE N422G ON RADAR SCREEN BUT GAVE AIRCRAFT AN IFR TRANSPONDER CODE AND REMINDED THE PILOT THAT RESTRICTED AREA R-2916 (CUDJOE KEY, FL) WAS ACTIVE TO 8000 FT. THERE WERE NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE PILOT AND LOCKHEED MARTIN EMPLOYEES AT CUDJOE KEY REPORTED THAT THEY HEARD AN AIRPLANE FLYING OVER THE R-2916 SITE (WHERE AN UNMARKED WEATHER/SURVEILLANCE BALLON WAS TETHERED TO APPROXIMATELY 8000 FT). AND THEN CRASH INTO THE WATER ABOUT 300 YARDS AWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.