What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Radar data indicates the aircraft departed and made a right turn out. Mode c information indicates it climbed to 1600 ft., then suddenly climbed to 1900 ft., then disappeared from radar. Eye witnesses reported the pilot performed a roll. It appears he may have pulled up abruptly, then ended up nose low and crashed into Belfast harbor under approximately 60 feet of water. One main wheel and the nose gear assembly, along with other items such as seat backs, insulation, a side interior panel, and so forth floated to the surface. Damage reported to the aircraft by divers who recovered the pilot's remains reported ver heavy damage to the aircraft. The first boat on the scene reported paint in the water was exteremely fine, with no large flakes. These observations would indicate the aircraft hit at a high rate of speed. The aircraft is still submerged.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) RADAR DATA INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AND MADE A RIGHT TURN OUT. MODE C INFORMATION INDICATES IT CLIMBED TO 1600 FT., THEN SUDDENLY CLIMBED TO 1900 FT., THEN DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR. EYE WITNESSES REPORTED THE PILOT PERFORMED A ROLL. IT APPEARS HE MAY HAVE PULLED UP ABRUPTLY, THEN ENDED UP NOSE LOW AND CRASHED INTO BELFAST HARBOR UNDER APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET OF WATER. ONE MAIN WHEEL AND THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY, ALONG WITH OTHER ITEMS SUCH AS SEAT BACKS, INSULATION, A SIDE INTERIOR PANEL, AND SO FORTH FLOATED TO THE SURFACE. DAMAGE REPORTED TO THE AIRCRAFT BY DIVERS WHO RECOVERED THE PILOT'S REMAINS REPORTED VER HEAVY DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE FIRST BOAT ON THE SCENE REPORTED PAINT IN THE WATER WAS EXTEREMELY FINE, WITH NO LARGE FLAKES. THESE OBSERVATIONS WOULD INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT HIT AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE AIRCRAFT IS STILL SUBMERGED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.