What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
One passenger survived the accident, and was found at sea. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Radar data revealed that the target identified as the accident airplane climbed to 1,700 feet after departure from tisx, where it leveled in cruise flight on a 330 degree heading for about 2 minutes. The airplane then entered a steady descent on the same approximate heading for the next 10 minutes until it leveled at 200 feet. The airplane cruised at 200 feet for the final 18 seconds of the flight until the radar target disappeared, approximately 5 miles from the destination airport. Survivor stated that during the en route portion, the airplane flew progressively lower to "get under the weather." Lights on the shore near the destination airport could be seen but it was raining. She recalled light turbulence, and observed the pilot as he made his "usual" radio call. She recalls the airplane "hitting a wall" and "seeing a flash" before the airplane filled with water. When asked if she notice anything unusual with the flight before impact or any pilot warning before striking the water, she said no, indicating everything was normal.
As the FAA filed it
ONE PASSENGER SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS FOUND AT SEA. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. RADAR DATA REVEALED THAT THE TARGET IDENTIFIED AS THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO 1,700 FEET AFTER DEPARTURE FROM TISX, WHERE IT LEVELED IN CRUISE FLIGHT ON A 330 DEGREE HEADING FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES. THE AIRPLANE THEN ENTERED A STEADY DESCENT ON THE SAME APPROXIMATE HEADING FOR THE NEXT 10 MINUTES UNTIL IT LEVELED AT 200 FEET. THE AIRPLANE CRUISED AT 200 FEET FOR THE FINAL 18 SECONDS OF THE FLIGHT UNTIL THE RADAR TARGET DISAPPEARED, APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. SURVIVOR STATED THAT DURING THE EN ROUTE PORTION, THE AIRPLANE FLEW PROGRESSIVELY LOWER TO "GET UNDER THE WEATHER." LIGHTS ON THE SHORE NEAR THE DESTINATION AIRPORT COULD BE SEEN BUT IT WAS RAINING. SHE RECALLED LIGHT TURBULENCE, AND OBSERVED THE PILOT AS HE MADE HIS "USUAL" RADIO CALL. SHE RECALLS THE AIRPLANE "HITTING A WALL" AND "SEEING A FLASH" BEFORE THE AIRPLANE FILLED WITH WATER. WHEN ASKED IF SHE NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL WITH THE FLIGHT BEFORE IMPACT OR ANY PILOT WARNING BEFORE STRIKING THE WATER, SHE SAID NO, INDICATING EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.