What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 9, 700' mls ARTCC loses radar and radio contact with aircraft on IFR flight plan. Aircraft wreckage is subsequently found in timbered area, with the accident fatal for both occupants. Aircraft experiences varying rates of descent during final 48 seconds of flight, both up and down, ranging from 500' fpm to 3,500' fpm. Computed descent rate for the aircraft in the last 12 seconds of radar recorded flight yields a descent rate of 3,500' fpm. Aircraft discovered in multiple sections, located separate from each other, indicative of inflight breakup. Bodies of the deceased were found completely separate of the cabin area, approximately 50-100 yards away. Airman obtained three weather briefings prior to the flight, two phone briefings, one the night before, the second the day of the flight. Airman also received a walk-in over the counter briefing at the fss at the airport of departure, just prior to the flight.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 9, 700' MLS ARTCC LOSES RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WITH AIRCRAFT ON IFR FLIGHT PLAN. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE IS SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND IN TIMBERED AREA, WITH THE ACCIDENT FATAL FOR BOTH OCCUPANTS. AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCES VARYING RATES OF DESCENT DURING FINAL 48 SECONDS OF FLIGHT, BOTH UP AND DOWN, RANGING FROM 500' FPM TO 3,500' FPM. COMPUTED DESCENT RATE FOR THE AIRCRAFT IN THE LAST 12 SECONDS OF RADAR RECORDED FLIGHT YIELDS A DESCENT RATE OF 3,500' FPM. AIRCRAFT DISCOVERED IN MULTIPLE SECTIONS, LOCATED SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER, INDICATIVE OF INFLIGHT BREAKUP. BODIES OF THE DECEASED WERE FOUND COMPLETELY SEPARATE OF THE CABIN AREA, APPROXIMATELY 50-100 YARDS AWAY. AIRMAN OBTAINED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, TWO PHONE BRIEFINGS, ONE THE NIGHT BEFORE, THE SECOND THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT. AIRMAN ALSO RECEIVED A WALK-IN OVER THE COUNTER BRIEFING AT THE FSS AT THE AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE, JUST PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.