What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot operated a C-172 on an IFR flight from lft to pns, to accumulate flight hours necessary to meet the cross country requirements for a commercial pilot certificate. The flight included carriage of three passengers. Pilot did not list an alternate on flight plan as required by 14 CFR §91.169. Pilot had difficulty maintaining heading and altitude assigned by ATC given by pns app control causing a low altitude alert and missed approach on the first RNAV RY8 in to Pensacola. Second approach ended in a successful landing because of the help provided by pns app control. However, after refuel pilot attempted takeoff to return to lft during night. Weather at time of departure was 200' ovc 1/4 mi fg. Pilot lost control during climb and crashed in trees on the kpns airport approximately 500' north of the B5 taxiway intersection.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT OPERATED A C-172 ON AN IFR FLIGHT FROM LFT TO PNS, TO ACCUMULATE FLIGHT HOURS NECESSARY TO MEET THE CROSS COUNTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE. THE FLIGHT INCLUDED CARRIAGE OF THREE PASSENGERS. PILOT DID NOT LIST AN ALTERNATE ON FLIGHT PLAN AS REQUIRED BY 14 CFR §91.169. PILOT HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING HEADING AND ALTITUDE ASSIGNED BY ATC GIVEN BY PNS APP CONTROL CAUSING A LOW ALTITUDE ALERT AND MISSED APPROACH ON THE FIRST RNAV RY8 IN TO PENSACOLA. SECOND APPROACH ENDED IN A SUCCESSFUL LANDING BECAUSE OF THE HELP PROVIDED BY PNS APP CONTROL. HOWEVER, AFTER REFUEL PILOT ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF TO RETURN TO LFT DURING NIGHT. WEATHER AT TIME OF DEPARTURE WAS 200' OVC 1/4 MI FG. PILOT LOST CONTROL DURING CLIMB AND CRASHED IN TREES ON THE KPNS AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 500' NORTH OF THE B5 TAXIWAY INTERSECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.