Data Showed That The Airplane Had Ascended To A Maximum Altitude Of 250 Ft Mean Sea Level (Msl), With Groundspeed Fluctuating Between 87 And 91 Knots Analysis: The pilot departed under visual flight rules while instrument meteorological conditions were reported at the airport, with a broken cloud layer at 300 ft above ground level (agl). A witness who was dining outside north of the departure airport initially heard the airplane and saw it shortly after. The witness said that the sound of the engine was similar to the sound of coughing and that the airplane appeared to increase in speed while it dipped and turned. The sound of the engine then “cut out,” and the airplane appeared to have banked toward the shoreline. Shortly thereafter the witness lost sight of the airplane’s lights.
