What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 23, 2010 about 1930 central standard time, a Piper PA-46-350P, N548C, was substantially damaged when it impacted the water during an approach to the Destin/ft. walton beach airport (dts) Destin, Florida. The airplane had departed lake front airport (new), new orleans, Louisiana. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91. Airport records indicated that the airplane was fueled the day of the accident at the (dts) airport and received 68.6 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. At 1300, the aircraft departed for (new) with one of the passengers, picked up the other passenger, and was returning to (dts) at the time of the accident. Aircraft departed (new) about 1620. According to U.S. Air force eglin radar control facility, aircraft was cleared for the rnav/gps approch to (dts). While on approch to (dts) at approximately 200 MSL, radar contact went into coast mode, followed by loss of radar contact. A search and rescue operation was initated and aircraft wreckage was located in the waters of choctawachee bay, about 1,500 feet from shore. Aircraft wreckage was transported to U.S. Coast guard station Destin for examination. The 1953 recorded weather observation at (dts), located approximately 1 mile to the south of the accident location, included wind from 140 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 1/4 mile due to fog, vertical visibility of 100 feet, temperature 19 degrees c, dew point 19 degrees c; altimeter 30.11 inches of mercury.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 23, 2010 ABOUT 1930 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-46-350P, N548C, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE WATER DURING AN APPROACH TO THE DESTIN/FT.WALTON BEACH AIRPORT (DTS) DESTIN, FLORIDA. THE AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED LAKE FRONT AIRPORT (NEW), NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. AIRPORT RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FUELED THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AT THE (DTS) AIRPORT AND RECEIVED 68.6 GALLONS OF 100LL AVIATION FUEL. AT 1300, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FOR (NEW) WITH ONE OF THE PASSENGERS, PICKED UP THE OTHER PASSENGER, AND WAS RETURNING TO (DTS) AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.AIRCRAFT DEPARTED (NEW) ABOUT 1620. ACCORDING TO U.S. AIR FORCE EGLIN RADAR CONTROL FACILITY, AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FOR THE RNAV/GPS APPROCH TO (DTS). WHILE ON APPROCH TO (DTS) AT APPROXIMATELY 200 MSL, RADAR CONTACT WENT INTO COAST MODE, FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT. A SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION WAS INITATED AND AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN THE WATERS OF CHOCTAWACHEE BAY, ABOUT 1,500 FEET FROM SHORE. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS TRANSPORTED TO U.S. COAST GUARD STATION DESTIN FOR EXAMINATION. THE 1953 RECORDED WEATHER OBSERVATION AT (DTS), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE TO THE SOUTH OF THE ACCIDENT LOCATION, INCLUDED WIND FROM 140 DEGREES AT 3 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 1/4 MILE DUE TO FOG, VERTICAL VISIBILITY OF 100 FEET, TEMPERATURE 19 DEGREES C, DEW POINT 19 DEGREES C; ALTIMETER 30.11 INCHES OF MERCURY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.