What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The outboard portion of the right wing of the twin engine airplane impacted a pine tree in mountainous terrain during a night cross country flight. About 12 minutes prior to the accident, while 49 miles short of their intermediate destination, the pilot reported picking up ice at 9,500 feet MSL and reported that he was diverting to el paso. ATC granted the frequency change to el paso; however, no further radio calls were received. At 2005, a witness near the accident site, reported hearing the airplane flying at `tree top level over his house' on a southeast direction. He stated that a low ceiling prevailed, the temperature was just above freezing and snow flurries restricted his visibility. Witnesses traveling on a gravel road adjacent to the accident site reported the lights of the airplane flying at tree top level prior to the crash. The auxiliary fuel cell for the right engine was compromised by the initial collision with the pine tree and the 3 remaining tanks were destroyed by post-impact fire. Both fuel selectors were found in the aux position. No discrepancies were found that would have prevented normal operations. The pilot had accumulated 7.5 hours of flight within the last 12 hours. (-23) on January 27, 1997, at 2010 mountain standard time, a Beech 95-B55 airplane, N47SM, was destroyed upon impact with terrain near Mayhill, new Mexico. The airplane, owned and operated by a private individual, was being operated under title 14 CFR part 91. The instrument rated commercial pilot and his two passengers were fatally injured. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the business flight for which a flight plan was not filed. The airplane departed from the goodyear municipal airport, in goodyear, Arizona, at approximately 1800, with the roswell industrial airport, near roswell, NM. As its intended destination. Witnesses stated they saw the aircraft travelling at tree top height. It was reported that a low ceiling prevailed, the temperature was just above freezing and snow flurries restricted the visibility. The aircraft was seen impacting a telephone pole, losing control and impacting the ground. The aircraft was destroyed by post impact fire.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE RIGHT WING OF THE TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A PINE TREE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DURING A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. ABOUT 12 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WHILE 49 MILES SHORT OF THEIR INTERMEDIATE DESTINATION, THE PILOT REPORTED PICKING UP ICE AT 9,500 FEET MSL AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS DIVERTING TO EL PASO. ATC GRANTED THE FREQUENCY CHANGE TO EL PASO; HOWEVER, NO FURTHER RADIO CALLS WERE RECEIVED. AT 2005, A WITNESS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE, REPORTED HEARING THE AIRPLANE FLYING AT `TREE TOP LEVEL OVER HIS HOUSE' ON A SOUTHEAST DIRECTION. HE STATED THAT A LOW CEILING PREVAILED, THE TEMPERATURE WAS JUST ABOVE FREEZING AND SNOW FLURRIES RESTRICTED HIS VISIBILITY. WITNESSES TRAVELING ON A GRAVEL ROAD ADJACENT TO THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THE LIGHTS OF THE AIRPLANE FLYING AT TREE TOP LEVEL PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE AUXILIARY FUEL CELL FOR THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS COMPROMISED BY THE INITIAL COLLISION WITH THE PINE TREE AND THE 3 REMAINING TANKS WERE DESTROYED BY POST-IMPACT FIRE. BOTH FUEL SELECTORS WERE FOUND IN THE AUX POSITION. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATIONS. THE PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED 7.5 HOURS OF FLIGHT WITHIN THE LAST 12 HOURS. (-23) ON JANUARY 27, 1997, AT 2010 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BEECH 95-B55 AIRPLANE, N47SM, WAS DESTROYED UPON IMPACT WITH TERRAIN NEAR MAYHILL, NEW MEXICO. THE AIRPLANE, OWNED AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. NIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE BUSINESS FLIGHT FOR WHICH A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM THE GOODYEAR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, IN GOODYEAR, ARIZONA, AT APPROXIMATELY 1800, WITH THE ROSWELL INDUSTRIAL AIRPORT, NEAR ROSWELL, NM. AS ITS INTENDED DESTINATION. WITNESSES STATED THEY SAW THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELLING AT TREE TOP HEIGHT. IT WAS REPORTED THAT A LOW CEILING PREVAILED, THE TEMPERATURE WAS JUST ABOVE FREEZING AND SNOW FLURRIES RESTRICTED THE VISIBILITY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN IMPACTING A TELEPHONE POLE, LOSING CONTROL AND IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY POST IMPACT FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.