What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 18, 2023 at approximately 1830 local time the PIC, a non-rated pilot, took off from private Property with an expected return time to the same location around 1915 local time. When the PIC did not return as scheduled, a friend reported the aircraft missing to local police. Search and rescue began that evening with MN state patrol aircraft and local police. FAA initiated an alnot on August 21, 2023 which activated civil air patrol to aid in the ongoing search and rescue with local residents and first responders. On August 24, 2023, a boat equipped with sonar located and recovered the body of the pilot in 44’ of water in lake superior. Search and rescue became aware of this area based on the last cell phone ping that had been made the day of the accident. The distance from the last cell phone ping and body location was about 1/8 mile. Search for the aircraft resumed after transporting the body to shore. At 1638 local on August 24, 2023, FAA received notification from local police that the search for the aircraft had been called off. Alnot canceled on August 24, 2023 at 1732 local time. To date, the aircraft has not been located. Preliminary autopsy reviled the cause of death to be hypothermia and drowning. The PIC had a helmet that was located about eight miles southwest of where the body was found. The national weather service analyzed water currents and confirmed that the helmet was found in a logical place when compared to where the body was found and amount of time that had passed. To date, neither a record of flight time for the PIC or maintenance records for the aircraft have been recovered. If records are located an amendment will be made. If the aircraft is located, the investigation may be reopened.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 18, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1830 LOCAL TIME THE PIC, A NON-RATED PILOT, TOOK OFF FROM PRIVATE PROPERTY WITH AN EXPECTED RETURN TIME TO THE SAME LOCATION AROUND 1915 LOCAL TIME. WHEN THE PIC DID NOT RETURN AS SCHEDULED, A FRIEND REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT MISSING TO LOCAL POLICE. SEARCH AND RESCUE BEGAN THAT EVENING WITH MN STATE PATROL AIRCRAFT AND LOCAL POLICE. FAA INITIATED AN ALNOT ON AUGUST 21, 2023 WHICH ACTIVATED CIVIL AIR PATROL TO AID IN THE ONGOING SEARCH AND RESCUE WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. ON AUGUST 24, 2023, A BOAT EQUIPPED WITH SONAR LOCATED AND RECOVERED THE BODY OF THE PILOT IN 44’ OF WATER IN LAKE SUPERIOR. SEARCH AND RESCUE BECAME AWARE OF THIS AREA BASED ON THE LAST CELL PHONE PING THAT HAD BEEN MADE THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. THE DISTANCE FROM THE LAST CELL PHONE PING AND BODY LOCATION WAS ABOUT 1/8 MILE. SEARCH FOR THE AIRCRAFT RESUMED AFTER TRANSPORTING THE BODY TO SHORE. AT 1638 LOCAL ON AUGUST 24, 2023, FAA RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM LOCAL POLICE THAT THE SEARCH FOR THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN CALLED OFF. ALNOT CANCELED ON AUGUST 24, 2023 AT 1732 LOCAL TIME. TO DATE, THE AIRCRAFT HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED. PRELIMINARY AUTOPSY REVILED THE CAUSE OF DEATH TO BE HYPOTHERMIA AND DROWNING. THE PIC HAD A HELMET THAT WAS LOCATED ABOUT EIGHT MILES SOUTHWEST OF WHERE THE BODY WAS FOUND. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANALYZED WATER CURRENTS AND CONFIRMED THAT THE HELMET WAS FOUND IN A LOGICAL PLACE WHEN COMPARED TO WHERE THE BODY WAS FOUND AND AMOUNT OF TIME THAT HAD PASSED. TO DATE, NEITHER A RECORD OF FLIGHT TIME FOR THE PIC OR MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR THE AIRCRAFT HAVE BEEN RECOVERED. IF RECORDS ARE LOCATED AN AMENDMENT WILL BE MADE. IF THE AIRCRAFT IS LOCATED, THE INVESTIGATION MAY BE REOPENED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.