What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N3156B was flying south bound over us 95 just north of interstate 40 at low altitude when near the intersection of us 95 and interstate 40 the aircraft was observed to make a steep left turn toward the east. Shortly after executing the steep left turn the aircraft left wing tip struck the north shoulder of interstate 40 west bound while trying to return to a level attitude and collided with the right/front side of a vehicle traveling west bound on interstate 40. The force of the impact caused the pilot to be ejected from the aircraft and subsequently sustain fatal injuries. The occupants of the motor vehicle received minor injuries. The driver of the vehicle said the aircraft appeared suddenly in front of the vehicle, left wing low and approximately three feet AGL. The driver stated that there was no way to avoid impact. Numerous phone calls were made to the pilots son to try and retrieve copies of pilot and aircraft log but were unsuccessful. Received final collision narrative from the California highway patrol on 9/10/2008 that includes several witness statements observing the aircraft flying low over the ground in a controlled manner. Any subsequent information received will be added to this report at that time.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N3156B WAS FLYING SOUTH BOUND OVER US 95 JUST NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 AT LOW ALTITUDE WHEN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF US 95 AND INTERSTATE 40 THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A STEEP LEFT TURN TOWARD THE EAST. SHORTLY AFTER EXECUTING THE STEEP LEFT TURN THE AIRCRAFT LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE NORTH SHOULDER OF INTERSTATE 40 WEST BOUND WHILE TRYING TO RETURN TO A LEVEL ATTITUDE AND COLLIDED WITH THE RIGHT/FRONT SIDE OF A VEHICLE TRAVELING WEST BOUND ON INTERSTATE 40. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT CAUSED THE PILOT TO BE EJECTED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND SUBSEQUENTLY SUSTAIN FATAL INJURIES. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE SAID THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED SUDDENLY IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, LEFT WING LOW AND APPROXIMATELY THREE FEET AGL. THE DRIVER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO AVOID IMPACT. NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS WERE MADE TO THE PILOTS SON TO TRY AND RETRIEVE COPIES OF PILOT AND AIRCRAFT LOG BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. RECEIVED FINAL COLLISION NARRATIVE FROM THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL ON 9/10/2008 THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL WITNESS STATEMENTS OBSERVING THE AIRCRAFT FLYING LOW OVER THE GROUND IN A CONTROLLED MANNER. ANY SUBSEQUENT INFORMATION RECEIVED WILL BE ADDED TO THIS REPORT AT THAT TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.