What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On November 02, 2008 at approximately 6:05PM CST the student pilot departed lebanon Tennessee (M54) airport for a solo night cross country to cornelia fort airpark (M88). The planned route was to follow the river, this route was followed the previous Friday without incident. The day of the accident time had changed and darkness was one hour early then the previous fridays flight. The pilot was familiar with the route in as much his farm was on this river, or accident flight path. This plan flight took him outside of nashville Tennessee airport area of operation. The body floated up 8 days after the accident and the wreckage was found 15 days after the accident date. The wreckage was 55 feet deep in the middle of the cumberland river. The aircraft had substantial damage, tail boom and rotor was in working condition. The pilot did not have any major injuries, results were determined as drowning.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON NOVEMBER 02, 2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:05PM CST THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED LEBANON TENNESSEE (M54) AIRPORT FOR A SOLO NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY TO CORNELIA FORT AIRPARK (M88). THE PLANNED ROUTE WAS TO FOLLOW THE RIVER, THIS ROUTE WAS FOLLOWED THE PREVIOUS FRIDAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT TIME HAD CHANGED AND DARKNESS WAS ONE HOUR EARLY THEN THE PREVIOUS FRIDAYS FLIGHT. THE PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE ROUTE IN AS MUCH HIS FARM WAS ON THIS RIVER, OR ACCIDENT FLIGHT PATH. THIS PLAN FLIGHT TOOK HIM OUTSIDE OF NASHVILLE TENNESSEE AIRPORT AREA OF OPERATION. THE BODY FLOATED UP 8 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 15 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT DATE. THE WRECKAGE WAS 55 FEET DEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CUMBERLAND RIVER. THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, TAIL BOOM AND ROTOR WAS IN WORKING CONDITION. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE ANY MAJOR INJURIES, RESULTS WERE DETERMINED AS DROWNING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.