What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot erroneously set altimeter causing aircraft to descent below minimum descent altitude, struck the ground. (-23) while in IMC and prior to attaining visual reference for the intended runway the pilot initiated a descent below the mda of 3980 feet. The aircraft struck the surface at 3372 feet about 3/4 of a mile southwest of the threshold of runway 04. The aircraft came to rest on the extended runway centerline with the gear and flaps extended. The pilot lost consciousness for about 45 minutes and suffered minor injuries. A post crash investigation revealed a normal functioning altimeter that read 3650 feet and was set 30.67. The pilot read back the lubbock altimeter setting of 30.41 to ATC when cleared to descend for the approach about ten minutes before the crash. The pilot alleges that he had the altimeter set correctly (30.41) but that he inadvertently changed it after the crash in a hurried attempt to turn off all electrical switches. The pilot stated that he was still in the clouds and believed the aircraft to be level at the mda of 3940 feet when the crash occurred. He was unable to give a reason for his premature descent to the surf ace--a descent of 608 feet below the mda.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT ERRONEOUSLY SET ALTIMETER CAUSING AIRCRAFT TO DESCENT BELOW MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE, STRUCK THE GROUND. (-23) WHILE IN IMC AND PRIOR TO ATTAINING VISUAL REFERENCE FOR THE INTENDED RUNWAY THE PILOT INITIATED A DESCENT BELOW THE MDA OF 3980 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE SURFACE AT 3372 FEET ABOUT 3/4 OF A MILE SOUTHWEST OF THE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY 04. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE EXTENDED RUNWAY CENTERLINE WITH THE GEAR AND FLAPS EXTENDED. THE PILOT LOST CONSCIOUSNESS FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. A POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED A NORMAL FUNCTIONING ALTIMETER THAT READ 3650 FEET AND WAS SET 30.67. THE PILOT READ BACK THE LUBBOCK ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.41 TO ATC WHEN CLEARED TO DESCEND FOR THE APPROACH ABOUT TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE CRASH. THE PILOT ALLEGES THAT HE HAD THE ALTIMETER SET CORRECTLY (30.41) BUT THAT HE INADVERTENTLY CHANGED IT AFTER THE CRASH IN A HURRIED ATTEMPT TO TURN OFF ALL ELECTRICAL SWITCHES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS STILL IN THE CLOUDS AND BELIEVED THE AIRCRAFT TO BE LEVEL AT THE MDA OF 3940 FEET WHEN THE CRASH OCCURRED. HE WAS UNABLE TO GIVE A REASON FOR HIS PREMATURE DESCENT TO THE SURF ACE--A DESCENT OF 608 FEET BELOW THE MDA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.