What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Non instrument rated pilot in an aircraft that was not equipped for instrument flight continued flight into IMC conditions and collided with trees and ground while enroute to his home base of N85(alexandria airport) in new jersey. Witness reported low flying aircraft directly overhead farm just prior to time of accident and on the flight path within 1/4 mile of impact location. Witness stated that the aircraft was approximately 50-80 feet above ground level. Terrain in direction of flight was rising and wooded. Witness stated the aircraft was in the cloud/fog level, engine sounded normal, traveling very fast. Witness stated that horizontal visibility on the ground was less than 300 feet. Witness reported the weather was foggy and rainy all day at that location, fog was most dense and lowest at time of accident. Aircraft was purchased new on 1/14/2014 in rochester WI. By the pilot/owner who then flew on 1/15/2014 from that location to the crash location. Exact time and route of flight unknown at this time. Crash occurred approximately 7 miles south east of alexandria airport. On scene investigation did not indicate any issues with the aircraft. No contact with local airtraffic control could be confirmed. No medical issues were reported by FAA medical division.
As the FAA filed it
NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT IN AN AIRCRAFT THAT WAS NOT EQUIPPED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND GROUND WHILE ENROUTE TO HIS HOME BASE OF N85(ALEXANDRIA AIRPORT) IN NEW JERSEY. WITNESS REPORTED LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT DIRECTLY OVERHEAD FARM JUST PRIOR TO TIME OF ACCIDENT AND ON THE FLIGHT PATH WITHIN 1/4 MILE OF IMPACT LOCATION. WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 50-80 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. TERRAIN IN DIRECTION OF FLIGHT WAS RISING AND WOODED. WITNESS STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE CLOUD/FOG LEVEL, ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL, TRAVELING VERY FAST. WITNESS STATED THAT HORIZONTAL VISIBILITY ON THE GROUND WAS LESS THAN 300 FEET. WITNESS REPORTED THE WEATHER WAS FOGGY AND RAINY ALL DAY AT THAT LOCATION, FOG WAS MOST DENSE AND LOWEST AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. AIRCRAFT WAS PURCHASED NEW ON 1/14/2014 IN ROCHESTER WI. BY THE PILOT/OWNER WHO THEN FLEW ON 1/15/2014 FROM THAT LOCATION TO THE CRASH LOCATION. EXACT TIME AND ROUTE OF FLIGHT UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. CRASH OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES SOUTH EAST OF ALEXANDRIA AIRPORT. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION DID NOT INDICATE ANY ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT. NO CONTACT WITH LOCAL AIRTRAFFIC CONTROL COULD BE CONFIRMED. NO MEDICAL ISSUES WERE REPORTED BY FAA MEDICAL DIVISION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.