What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 9, 2019 at approximately 2235 a Cessna 172 owned by and registered to gerald seliski was destroyed in a fatal accident impacting terrain after striking a tree during a personal flight. Cold, windy, low clouds, fog, and mist weather conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed, and the pilot suffered fatal injuries. The pilot held an expired student pilot certificate that had been suspended in March of 2018. The flight originated at Aberdeen, SD on October 9, 2019 at approximately 2231 CST.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 9, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 2235 A CESSNA 172 OWNED BY AND REGISTERED TO GERALD SELISKI WAS DESTROYED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT IMPACTING TERRAIN AFTER STRIKING A TREE DURING A PERSONAL FLIGHT. COLD, WINDY, LOW CLOUDS, FOG, AND MIST WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED, AND THE PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. THE PILOT HELD AN EXPIRED STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE THAT HAD BEEN SUSPENDED IN MARCH OF 2018. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT ABERDEEN, SD ON OCTOBER 9, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 2231 CST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.