What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot arrived at owensboro-daviess county airport (owb) at approximately 2100 hours on the night of the accident. The weather consisted of a low cloud ceiling and rain at that time and the pilot was utilizing the foreflight application to monitor weather conditions. Pilot filled the aircraft with fuel, and upon deciding weather conditions had improved, pilot took off from runway 24 at approximately 2230 hours local, central daylight time (CDT). Pilot stated no flight plan was filed as the weather was reported VFR at the time of takeoff. Pilot personally planned to fly to madisonville regional airport (2I0) for a touch and go landing, then proceed south to Florida. Pilot climbed to approximately 2,000 feet MSL and proceeded towards 2I0. Pilot stated 20-25 minutes into flight, cloud cover descended and heavy precipitation was experienced. Attempting to avoid weather previously encountered, pilot began a series of descents to remain below cloud cover and decided to divert to sturgis municipal aiport (twt) 7-8 minutes away from his current position, based on the foreflight application. Pilot stated he does not remember the events from a point 10 nautical miles from twt and that his last recollection of events was contact with trees which initiated the accident sequence. Pilot was ejected from the aircraft and received serious injuries. The aircraft was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT ARRIVED AT OWENSBORO-DAVIESS COUNTY AIRPORT (OWB) AT APPROXIMATELY 2100 HOURS ON THE NIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WEATHER CONSISTED OF A LOW CLOUD CEILING AND RAIN AT THAT TIME AND THE PILOT WAS UTILIZING THE FOREFLIGHT APPLICATION TO MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS. PILOT FILLED THE AIRCRAFT WITH FUEL, AND UPON DECIDING WEATHER CONDITIONS HAD IMPROVED, PILOT TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 24 AT APPROXIMATELY 2230 HOURS LOCAL, CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT). PILOT STATED NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AS THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED VFR AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF. PILOT PERSONALLY PLANNED TO FLY TO MADISONVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT (2I0) FOR A TOUCH AND GO LANDING, THEN PROCEED SOUTH TO FLORIDA. PILOT CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 2,000 FEET MSL AND PROCEEDED TOWARDS 2I0. PILOT STATED 20-25 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT, CLOUD COVER DESCENDED AND HEAVY PRECIPITATION WAS EXPERIENCED. ATTEMPTING TO AVOID WEATHER PREVIOUSLY ENCOUNTERED, PILOT BEGAN A SERIES OF DESCENTS TO REMAIN BELOW CLOUD COVER AND DECIDED TO DIVERT TO STURGIS MUNICIPAL AIPORT (TWT) 7-8 MINUTES AWAY FROM HIS CURRENT POSITION, BASED ON THE FOREFLIGHT APPLICATION. PILOT STATED HE DOES NOT REMEMBER THE EVENTS FROM A POINT 10 NAUTICAL MILES FROM TWT AND THAT HIS LAST RECOLLECTION OF EVENTS WAS CONTACT WITH TREES WHICH INITIATED THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. PILOT WAS EJECTED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.