What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 24, 2014, around 12:35 pacific daylight time (PST), a Cessna 172, N8518B, was destroyed when it impacted terrain approximately one and a half miles northeast of westover field / amador county airport (jaq) in jackson, California. The private pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated under day visual flight rules, part 91. With no flight plan filed, the personal flight originated from south county airport of santa clara (E16) California, at about 11:30 PST; intended destination was jaq, where instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The wreckage was controlled by the amador county sheriff?s department. The majority of the wreckage was contained in proximity of the point of impact. The degree of damage indicated that the airplane had struck the ground at a nose-down attitude.
According to NTSB, witnesses indicated that the airplane's engine sounded rough and was cutting out. However, there was an overcast that prevented them from seeing the airplane.
The aircraft wreckage was transported to an approved tear-down facility for further examination.
This report may be amended with new evidence.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 24, 2014, AROUND 12:35 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME (PST), A CESSNA 172, N8518B, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF MILES NORTHEAST OF WESTOVER FIELD / AMADOR COUNTY AIRPORT (JAQ) IN JACKSON, CALIFORNIA. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED UNDER DAY VISUAL FLIGHT RULES, PART 91. WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED, THE PERSONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SOUTH COUNTY AIRPORT OF SANTA CLARA (E16) CALIFORNIA, AT ABOUT 11:30 PST; INTENDED DESTINATION WAS JAQ, WHERE INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WRECKAGE WAS CONTROLLED BY THE AMADOR COUNTY SHERIFF?S DEPARTMENT. THE MAJORITY OF THE WRECKAGE WAS CONTAINED IN PROXIMITY OF THE POINT OF IMPACT. THE DEGREE OF DAMAGE INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD STRUCK THE GROUND AT A NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE.
ACCORDING TO NTSB, WITNESSES INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE SOUNDED ROUGH AND WAS CUTTING OUT. HOWEVER, THERE WAS AN OVERCAST THAT PREVENTED THEM FROM SEEING THE AIRPLANE.
THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS TRANSPORTED TO AN APPROVED TEAR-DOWN FACILITY FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.
THIS REPORT MAY BE AMENDED WITH NEW EVIDENCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.