What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft found by coast guard in heavily wooded area on side of mountain at approximately 1750' MSL, about 200' below top of ridge, but could not be recovered for investigation for several days due to weather. Aircraft found missing left wing, all other parts of aircraft at or close by main wreckage. Inboard part of left wing found in tree approx. 436 feet prior to wreckage, left wing tip found at base of that tree. Left wing damage consistent with a left wing down attitude upon first impact with tree. According to statements from other pilots flying in the area at the time of the accident, the area of the accident was IMC. This was the pilot's second flight in the area that day, and it has been confirmed by interview with the fueling person and fuel provider that the aircraft was fueled with sufficient fuel for the flight upon departure. Fuel and oil were found in the engine during wreckage documentation. Fuel was not found in the fuel tanks, however fuel tanks were damaged by accident sequence which would allow fuel to drain into the ground before the aircraft wreckage was recovered. Fuel selector was found in the 'off' position and was not moved by recovery personnel. Fuel selector linkage was found intact and investigators were able to move valve with selector. Propeller blades exhibit damage consistent with engine producing power upon impact. Found in wreckage were all required safety equipment: fire extinguisher, life jackets for all onboard, passenger briefing cards, emergency locating transmitter, all occupants had seatbelts fastened. Flight control continuity was confirmed by investigators for all flight controls. Radio was found turned off and not touched by recovery personnel. Engine teardown confirmed no anomalies with engine. privacy data omitted Date of hire at air carrier: privacy data omitted. This pilot had an accident one month prior to this, and admitted that he was in a hurry and didnt check takeoff area for obstacles, which he hit. Air carrier did not do any remedial training or checking before sending this pilot out again.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT FOUND BY COAST GUARD IN HEAVILY WOODED AREA ON SIDE OF MOUNTAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 1750' MSL, ABOUT 200' BELOW TOP OF RIDGE, BUT COULD NOT BE RECOVERED FOR INVESTIGATION FOR SEVERAL DAYS DUE TO WEATHER. AIRCRAFT FOUND MISSING LEFT WING, ALL OTHER PARTS OF AIRCRAFT AT OR CLOSE BY MAIN WRECKAGE. INBOARD PART OF LEFT WING FOUND IN TREE APPROX. 436 FEET PRIOR TO WRECKAGE, LEFT WING TIP FOUND AT BASE OF THAT TREE. LEFT WING DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH A LEFT WING DOWN ATTITUDE UPON FIRST IMPACT WITH TREE. ACCORDING TO STATEMENTS FROM OTHER PILOTS FLYING IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT WAS IMC. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S SECOND FLIGHT IN THE AREA THAT DAY, AND IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY INTERVIEW WITH THE FUELING PERSON AND FUEL PROVIDER THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT UPON DEPARTURE. FUEL AND OIL WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE DURING WRECKAGE DOCUMENTATION. FUEL WAS NOT FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS, HOWEVER FUEL TANKS WERE DAMAGED BY ACCIDENT SEQUENCE WHICH WOULD ALLOW FUEL TO DRAIN INTO THE GROUND BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED. FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE 'OFF' POSITION AND WAS NOT MOVED BY RECOVERY PERSONNEL. FUEL SELECTOR LINKAGE WAS FOUND INTACT AND INVESTIGATORS WERE ABLE TO MOVE VALVE WITH SELECTOR. PROPELLER BLADES EXHIBIT DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH ENGINE PRODUCING POWER UPON IMPACT. FOUND IN WRECKAGE WERE ALL REQUIRED SAFETY EQUIPMENT: FIRE EXTINGUISHER, LIFE JACKETS FOR ALL ONBOARD, PASSENGER BRIEFING CARDS, EMERGENCY LOCATING TRANSMITTER, ALL OCCUPANTS HAD SEATBELTS FASTENED. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED BY INVESTIGATORS FOR ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS. RADIO WAS FOUND TURNED OFF AND NOT TOUCHED BY RECOVERY PERSONNEL. ENGINE TEARDOWN CONFIRMED NO ANOMALIES WITH ENGINE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DATE OF HIRE AT AIR CARRIER: ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THIS PILOT HAD AN ACCIDENT ONE MONTH PRIOR TO THIS, AND ADMITTED THAT HE WAS IN A HURRY AND DIDNT CHECK TAKEOFF AREA FOR OBSTACLES, WHICH HE HIT. AIR CARRIER DID NOT DO ANY REMEDIAL TRAINING OR CHECKING BEFORE SENDING THIS PILOT OUT AGAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.