What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft had been flying pipeline surveillance, 14 CFR 91. According to witness statment, the aircraft made five circles around an oil rig. One worker on the ground reported the altitude to be approximately 150 feet and also stated that on fifth circle aircraft appeared to be in a steeper bank when the nose dropped. The aircraft flew in to the ground hitting a utility wire just before impact. Impact caused a large fire; pilot was fatally injured. Owner reported pilot was in possession of current aircraft records; these records have not been recovered. Engine serial number can not be positively identified. Airframe total time cannot be positively determined. Pilot's total flight hours were reported by employer. Hours in make and model, hours in last 90 days, and date regulatory check ride could not be determined from records recovered at the accident scene and from the pilot's employer.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLYING PIPELINE SURVEILLANCE, 14 CFR 91. ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATMENT, THE AIRCRAFT MADE FIVE CIRCLES AROUND AN OIL RIG. ONE WORKER ON THE GROUND REPORTED THE ALTITUDE TO BE APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET AND ALSO STATED THAT ON FIFTH CIRCLE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE IN A STEEPER BANK WHEN THE NOSE DROPPED. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW IN TO THE GROUND HITTING A UTILITY WIRE JUST BEFORE IMPACT. IMPACT CAUSED A LARGE FIRE; PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.OWNER REPORTED PILOT WAS IN POSSESSION OF CURRENT AIRCRAFT RECORDS; THESE RECORDS HAVE NOT BEEN RECOVERED. ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER CAN NOT BE POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED. AIRFRAME TOTAL TIME CANNOT BE POSITIVELY DETERMINED. PILOT'S TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS WERE REPORTED BY EMPLOYER.HOURS IN MAKE AND MODEL, HOURS IN LAST 90 DAYS, AND DATE REGULATORY CHECK RIDE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED FROM RECORDS RECOVERED AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE AND FROM THE PILOT'S EMPLOYER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4428Q · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.