What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot and passenger departed novato, CA at approximately 1800PDT on a flight to Shelter Cove, CA. VMC and night conditions prevailed. Shelter Cove is an airport that is not equipped with lighting and during landing, the pilot required the assistance of persons on the ground using automobile lights to illuminate the runway. Approximately one hour after landing the pilot departed Shelter Cove with reported intention of returning to novato (or an intermediate stop). A local witness described the conditions at time of takeoff as complete darkness and absence of horizon reference. FAA radar data depicts an aircraft proceeding south eastbound, at the time of departure and reaching an altitude of 2400?MSL (as reported by mode c). Radar data, which also depicts the prior flight inbound to Shelter Cove, shows an erratic flight track with several apparent 360 degree turns. The end of the track depicts a turn followed by a loss of target over the pacific ocean approximately 4 miles from shore.
The aircraft was reported missing the following day and was subject to an alert notice. No wreckage or other trace of the aircraft or occupants have been located as of the date of this report. The aircraft was presumed lost in an accident under unknown circumstances. Passenger and pilot are also presumed deceased under unknown circumstances.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED NOVATO, CA AT APPROXIMATELY 1800PDT ON A FLIGHT TO SHELTER COVE, CA. VMC AND NIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED. SHELTER COVE IS AN AIRPORT THAT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH LIGHTING AND DURING LANDING, THE PILOT REQUIRED THE ASSISTANCE OF PERSONS ON THE GROUND USING AUTOMOBILE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE THE RUNWAY. APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AFTER LANDING THE PILOT DEPARTED SHELTER COVE WITH REPORTED INTENTION OF RETURNING TO NOVATO (OR AN INTERMEDIATE STOP). A LOCAL WITNESS DESCRIBED THE CONDITIONS AT TIME OF TAKEOFF AS COMPLETE DARKNESS AND ABSENCE OF HORIZON REFERENCE. FAA RADAR DATA DEPICTS AN AIRCRAFT PROCEEDING SOUTH EASTBOUND, AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE AND REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF 2400?MSL (AS REPORTED BY MODE C). RADAR DATA, WHICH ALSO DEPICTS THE PRIOR FLIGHT INBOUND TO SHELTER COVE, SHOWS AN ERRATIC FLIGHT TRACK WITH SEVERAL APPARENT 360 DEGREE TURNS. THE END OF THE TRACK DEPICTS A TURN FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF TARGET OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES FROM SHORE.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED MISSING THE FOLLOWING DAY AND WAS SUBJECT TO AN ALERT NOTICE. NO WRECKAGE OR OTHER TRACE OF THE AIRCRAFT OR OCCUPANTS HAVE BEEN LOCATED AS OF THE DATE OF THIS REPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PRESUMED LOST IN AN ACCIDENT UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. PASSENGER AND PILOT ARE ALSO PRESUMED DECEASED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.