What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 12/29/2023 the aircraft with one occupant on board departed keri at 2058 EST with the intended destination of kjst. The pilot and sole occupant was a private pilot non-instrument rated with 5300HRS listed at his last medical application on 01/31/2023.
The weather at the time of departure at keri was reported as 0151Z 10SM BKN017 OVC042 03/M01 A2972. The weather at the proposed destination of kjst at the time of departure was reported as 0154Z 10SM OVC013 00/M03 A2969. The weather reported at the nearest airports of the crash site: kfkl 0256Z 10SM OVC008 A2971 rmk A02 RAB23E38 kduj 0253Z 4SM br OVC008 01/M01 A2968 rmk A02 cig 006V011.
The aircraft departed keri and turned to a northeast heading. The aircraft turned a southwest heading and back to a northeast heading before eventually turning back to a southeast heading. The aircraft entered a climbing left turn reaching an altitude of 3800FT MSL. The aircraft continued the left turn and entered a descending, decreasing radius left-hand turn. The aircraft reached a descent rate, in the left-hand turn, of 11000FPM before coming to a rest in the allegheny national forest buzzard swamp area near Marienville pa. The time was noted at 2156EST. The aircraft was airborne for 58 minutes.
The FBO at keri reported that the accident aircraft was fueled with 24.5 gallons of 100LL approximately at 1730 EST. There was no evidence of a post-crash fire but there was a strong odor of fuel.
As the FAA filed it
ON 12/29/2023 THE AIRCRAFT WITH ONE OCCUPANT ON BOARD DEPARTED KERI AT 2058 EST WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF KJST. THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT WAS A PRIVATE PILOT NON-INSTRUMENT RATED WITH 5300HRS LISTED AT HIS LAST MEDICAL APPLICATION ON 01/31/2023.
THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE AT KERI WAS REPORTED AS 0151Z 10SM BKN017 OVC042 03/M01 A2972. THE WEATHER AT THE PROPOSED DESTINATION OF KJST AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE WAS REPORTED AS 0154Z 10SM OVC013 00/M03 A2969. THE WEATHER REPORTED AT THE NEAREST AIRPORTS OF THE CRASH SITE: KFKL 0256Z 10SM OVC008 A2971 RMK A02 RAB23E38 KDUJ 0253Z 4SM BR OVC008 01/M01 A2968 RMK A02 CIG 006V011.
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KERI AND TURNED TO A NORTHEAST HEADING. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED A SOUTHWEST HEADING AND BACK TO A NORTHEAST HEADING BEFORE EVENTUALLY TURNING BACK TO A SOUTHEAST HEADING. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A CLIMBING LEFT TURN REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF 3800FT MSL. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED THE LEFT TURN AND ENTERED A DESCENDING, DECREASING RADIUS LEFT-HAND TURN. THE AIRCRAFT REACHED A DESCENT RATE, IN THE LEFT-HAND TURN, OF 11000FPM BEFORE COMING TO A REST IN THE ALLEGHENY NATIONAL FOREST BUZZARD SWAMP AREA NEAR MARIENVILLE PA. THE TIME WAS NOTED AT 2156EST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE FOR 58 MINUTES.
THE FBO AT KERI REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED WITH 24.5 GALLONS OF 100LL APPROXIMATELY AT 1730 EST. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A POST-CRASH FIRE BUT THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.