What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 01/18/2010 at approximately 2103 zulu time a Cessna 340, N2217B, departed henderson airport (hnd), henderson, NV enroute to compton airport (cpm), compton, CA. The Cessna 340, N2217B, was owned and piloted by a private pilot with airplane single and multiengine land ratings, the pilot did not have an instrument rating. There was one female passenger on board. The passenger was not a pilot. No flight plan was filed. The flight continued from henderson, NV into California, the weather in California was reported for instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) throughout southern California. The freezing level was reported to start at 6000 feet. Thunderstorms and heavy rain were predicted for the entire week starting early Monday morning on 01/18/2010. The aircraft entered IMC conditions at an unknown location. The Cessna was seen by several witnesses along the I-15 freeway north of the I-10 (san bernardino) freeway exiting out of the bottom of the cloud layer at a high rate of speed and reported to be flying erratically and making very steep turns at approximately 300 feet above the ground. Several witnesses reported the aircraft re-entered the clouds and the witnesses reported they lost visual sight of the aircraft after it entered the clouds. Socal TRACON (air-traffic control) observed the VFR target but did not have communication with the aircraft. Socal TRACON was not providing services to the VFR target. Socal TRACON reported a VFR target flying erratically, climbing, descending, and making dramatic turns, not normally used in instrument flight. ATC reported the target in a steep spiral and descending at a high rate of speed in the vicinity of Lydle Creek, CA. Socal TRACON lost radar contact on the target at approximately 1507 PST (2307 zulu). The aircraft impacted the terrain in the Lydle Creek, California area. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot and single passenger were fatally injured.
As the FAA filed it
ON 01/18/2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 2103 ZULU TIME A CESSNA 340, N2217B, DEPARTED HENDERSON AIRPORT (HND), HENDERSON, NV ENROUTE TO COMPTON AIRPORT (CPM), COMPTON, CA. THE CESSNA 340, N2217B, WAS OWNED AND PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT WITH AIRPLANE SINGLE AND MULTIENGINE LAND RATINGS, THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE AN INSTRUMENT RATING. THERE WAS ONE FEMALE PASSENGER ON BOARD. THE PASSENGER WAS NOT A PILOT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED FROM HENDERSON, NV INTO CALIFORNIA, THE WEATHER IN CALIFORNIA WAS REPORTED FOR INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THE FREEZING LEVEL WAS REPORTED TO START AT 6000 FEET. THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN WERE PREDICTED FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK STARTING EARLY MONDAY MORNING ON 01/18/2010. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED IMC CONDITIONS AT AN UNKNOWN LOCATION. THE CESSNA WAS SEEN BY SEVERAL WITNESSES ALONG THE I-15 FREEWAY NORTH OF THE I-10 (SAN BERNARDINO) FREEWAY EXITING OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CLOUD LAYER AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND REPORTED TO BE FLYING ERRATICALLY AND MAKING VERY STEEP TURNS AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT RE-ENTERED THE CLOUDS AND THE WITNESSES REPORTED THEY LOST VISUAL SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER IT ENTERED THE CLOUDS. SOCAL TRACON (AIR-TRAFFIC CONTROL) OBSERVED THE VFR TARGET BUT DID NOT HAVE COMMUNICATION WITH THE AIRCRAFT. SOCAL TRACON WAS NOT PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE VFR TARGET. SOCAL TRACON REPORTED A VFR TARGET FLYING ERRATICALLY, CLIMBING, DESCENDING, AND MAKING DRAMATIC TURNS, NOT NORMALLY USED IN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT. ATC REPORTED THE TARGET IN A STEEP SPIRAL AND DESCENDING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED IN THE VICINITY OF LYDLE CREEK, CA. SOCAL TRACON LOST RADAR CONTACT ON THE TARGET AT APPROXIMATELY 1507 PST (2307 ZULU). THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN THE LYDLE CREEK, CALIFORNIA AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT AND SINGLE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.