What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 02-01-08 at approx 1746 EST a Cessna citation 525, N102PT, crashed in the woods in West Gardner Maine. The private pilot did not have the aircraft deiced after it had set on the ramp for approx 90 minutes. The augusta airport (aug) weather had changed from -sn to -fzra br. After leaving the ramp area the pilot became disoriented and taxied thru the grass into & thru a ditch to runway 26 - not the runway she stated in her radio communication on pwm ATC clearance frequency. She never turned the airport lights on - this was done by the FBO personnel. The aircraft departed runway 17 at aug and was radar identified. The aircraft climbed to 3400 feet and accelerated to 250 KTS. Before the pilot declared an emergency with pwm ATC. She stated she had an "attitude indicator failure." The aircraft never continued the right turn to syr VOR but was tracked in a left turn. Her next call was cut short for an unknown reason and stated she was unable to determine her direction of turn. Pwm ATC observed the aircraft descending rapidly then radar contact was lost at 2400 feet. The aircraft impacted the ground approximately 70 degrees nose low attitude & 70 degrees left wing low.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 02-01-08 AT APPROX 1746 EST A CESSNA CITATION 525, N102PT, CRASHED IN THE WOODS IN WEST GARDNER MAINE. THE PRIVATE PILOT DID NOT HAVE THE AIRCRAFT DEICED AFTER IT HAD SET ON THE RAMP FOR APPROX 90 MINUTES. THE AUGUSTA AIRPORT (AUG) WEATHER HAD CHANGED FROM -SN TO -FZRA BR. AFTER LEAVING THE RAMP AREA THE PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED AND TAXIED THRU THE GRASS INTO & THRU A DITCH TO RUNWAY 26 - NOT THE RUNWAY SHE STATED IN HER RADIO COMMUNICATION ON PWM ATC CLEARANCE FREQUENCY. SHE NEVER TURNED THE AIRPORT LIGHTS ON - THIS WAS DONE BY THE FBO PERSONNEL. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 17 AT AUG AND WAS RADAR IDENTIFIED. THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO 3400 FEET AND ACCELERATED TO 250 KTS. BEFORE THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH PWM ATC. SHE STATED SHE HAD AN "ATTITUDE INDICATOR FAILURE." THE AIRCRAFT NEVER CONTINUED THE RIGHT TURN TO SYR VOR BUT WAS TRACKED IN A LEFT TURN. HER NEXT CALL WAS CUT SHORT FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON AND STATED SHE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE HER DIRECTION OF TURN. PWM ATC OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDING RAPIDLY THEN RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 2400 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 70 DEGREES NOSE LOW ATTITUDE & 70 DEGREES LEFT WING LOW.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.