What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Descended below glideslope lined up with road off course. Dragged wing. Tore off rt and nose gear. 2 miles from spw (.4)the pilot made four missed ILS approaches at the airport. He stated that he did not see the approach lights during any of the approaches and did not feel comfortable making a landing. The reported visibility during these approaches was 1/2-statute mile. On the fifth approach the pilot said he had '...mistaken closely inline cars and a road for the malsr and runway.' He pilot stated the airplane continued to descend after initiating a go-around. He said he saw on-coming traffic in front of him, and turned the airplane to the right. He said he lost altitude and the right wing struck the ground. The pilot's employers operations specification require a 1/4-mile increase in visibility for an ILS approach that does not have an operating approach lighting system. The approach lights were checked by the airport manager and were confirmed to be in working order. An on-scene investigation revealed no pre-accident airframe or engine anomalies that would have prevented normal flight. (-23)pilot descended below glideslope. He lined up on highway (30 degrees off approach course) and nearly struck vehicales on the road. He then made a steep right bank, dragging wing tip on the ground. The aircraft struck ground on it's belly, tearing nose and right main gear off. It skidded to a stop in a field 1 1/2 miles norht of Spencer airport. A fire broke out at each wingtip area. Pilot escaped through cargo hatch.
As the FAA filed it
DESCENDED BELOW GLIDESLOPE LINED UP WITH ROAD OFF COURSE. DRAGGED WING. TORE OFF RT AND NOSE GEAR. 2 MILES FROM SPW (.4)THE PILOT MADE FOUR MISSED ILS APPROACHES AT THE AIRPORT. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE APPROACH LIGHTS DURING ANY OF THE APPROACHES AND DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE MAKING A LANDING. THE REPORTED VISIBILITY DURING THESE APPROACHES WAS 1/2-STATUTE MILE. ON THE FIFTH APPROACH THE PILOT SAID HE HAD '...MISTAKEN CLOSELY INLINE CARS AND A ROAD FOR THE MALSR AND RUNWAY.' HE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND AFTER INITIATING A GO-AROUND. HE SAID HE SAW ON-COMING TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF HIM, AND TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT. HE SAID HE LOST ALTITUDE AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT'S EMPLOYERS OPERATIONS SPECIFICATION REQUIRE A 1/4-MILE INCREASE IN VISIBILITY FOR AN ILS APPROACH THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN OPERATING APPROACH LIGHTING SYSTEM. THE APPROACH LIGHTS WERE CHECKED BY THE AIRPORT MANAGER AND WERE CONFIRMED TO BE IN WORKING ORDER. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PRE-ACCIDENT AIRFRAME OR ENGINE ANOMALIES THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL FLIGHT. (-23)PILOT DESCENDED BELOW GLIDESLOPE. HE LINED UP ON HIGHWAY (30 DEGREES OFF APPROACH COURSE) AND NEARLY STRUCK VEHICALES ON THE ROAD. HE THEN MADE A STEEP RIGHT BANK, DRAGGING WING TIP ON THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK GROUND ON IT'S BELLY, TEARING NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR OFF. IT SKIDDED TO A STOP IN A FIELD 1 1/2 MILES NORHT OF SPENCER AIRPORT. A FIRE BROKE OUT AT EACH WINGTIP AREA. PILOT ESCAPED THROUGH CARGO HATCH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.