What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 20, 2016 aircraft N4976K, a navion had crashed in a heavily wooded area, in southern new jersey. Pilot sustained fatal injuries. He was the sole occupant.
The pilot was a private pilot with no instrument rating.
There was no communication between the pilot and air traffic control (ATC). It is suspected that there was a possible inadvertent flight into severe cold front.
Initial inspection at the scene:
Aircraft fuselage was found inverted, aircraft was not intact as there was a 145 yard debris field. There was an impact at the scene with a tree. Engine appeared to be producing power(s-bending/markings). Deceased pilot was found outside the destroyed aircraft.
Awaiting engine teardown reports
Completed aircraft inspections with no findings. Compression on all cylinders. Magnettoes checked out good... And all connections and leads were good....no mechanical deficiencies were noted
Autopsy completed and concluded after examination there was no natural disease that would have posed an immediate and significant hazard to flight safety at the time of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 20, 2016 AIRCRAFT N4976K, A NAVION HAD CRASHED IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA, IN SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. HE WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT.
THE PILOT WAS A PRIVATE PILOT WITH NO INSTRUMENT RATING.
THERE WAS NO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PILOT AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC). IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO SEVERE COLD FRONT.
INITIAL INSPECTION AT THE SCENE:
AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE WAS FOUND INVERTED, AIRCRAFT WAS NOT INTACT AS THERE WAS A 145 YARD DEBRIS FIELD. THERE WAS AN IMPACT AT THE SCENE WITH A TREE. ENGINE APPEARED TO BE PRODUCING POWER(S-BENDING/MARKINGS). DECEASED PILOT WAS FOUND OUTSIDE THE DESTROYED AIRCRAFT.
AWAITING ENGINE TEARDOWN REPORTS
COMPLETED AIRCRAFT INSPECTIONS WITH NO FINDINGS. COMPRESSION ON ALL CYLINDERS. MAGNETTOES CHECKED OUT GOOD... AND ALL CONNECTIONS AND LEADS WERE GOOD....NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WERE NOTED
AUTOPSY COMPLETED AND CONCLUDED AFTER EXAMINATION THERE WAS NO NATURAL DISEASE THAT WOULD HAVE POSED AN IMMEDIATE AND SIGNIFICANT HAZARD TO FLIGHT SAFETY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.