What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 23, 2009 at approximately 2018 EDT, a Piper PA-46-350P (98ZZ), crashed into the woods on the west side of state highway 98, approximately 1 1/2 miles north of county road 54 in pasco county. The aircraft was on a IFR flight from gnv to lal with a pilot and two passengers onboard when it had declared an emergency. The pilot, thomas scott long, certificate number 2687115, reported that the aircraft had an engine problem. Tampa ATCT was trying to vector the aircraft to zph when tampa ATCT lost contact. The aircraft was consumed by fire and the three people onboard were fatal. The aircraft was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 23, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 2018 EDT, A PIPER PA-46-350P (98ZZ), CRASHED INTO THE WOODS ON THE WEST SIDE OF STATE HIGHWAY 98, APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 MILES NORTH OF COUNTY ROAD 54 IN PASCO COUNTY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A IFR FLIGHT FROM GNV TO LAL WITH A PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS ONBOARD WHEN IT HAD DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE PILOT, THOMAS SCOTT LONG, CERTIFICATE NUMBER 2687115, REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD AN ENGINE PROBLEM. TAMPA ATCT WAS TRYING TO VECTOR THE AIRCRAFT TO ZPH WHEN TAMPA ATCT LOST CONTACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE AND THE THREE PEOPLE ONBOARD WERE FATAL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.