What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Struck wires and trees during night ILS approach. Descended below dh. (.4)the pilot was executing the ILS runway 36 approach when the airplane struck a 150 foot high power line, located about 2.5 miles south of the airport. The local air traffic controller stated that shortly after clearing the accident airplane to land, the tower had a power interruption which caused the radar to blink and get skewed. She then noticed the airplane's data block disappeared. Prior to the power outage, she had been looking out the window to check the weather conditions, and did not notice any problems with the airplane. The approach controller stated he did not notice anything unusual with the airplane after handing it off to the tower. He stated the airplane's altitude appeared normal, and he did not see it deviate from the localizer. According to the supervisor, he saw a low altitude alert for the airplane, which was followed shortly by the interruption of power to the building. He did not see the airplane make any lateral deviations from the localizer. The reported weather consisted of a 500 feet overcast and 3 miles visibility. Examination of the airplane did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfuction. The minimum altitude for the approach was 376 feet above the ground. A flight test of the ILS navigational facility did not disclose anomalies. (-23) pilot was making an instrument approach at the Tallahassee regional airport. For some unknown reason the pilot was well below his glide path. The airplane struck powerlines approximately 2.5 miles south of runway 36. The airplane was demolished resulting in two fatalities. (Pilot and one passenger).
As the FAA filed it
STRUCK WIRES AND TREES DURING NIGHT ILS APPROACH. DESCENDED BELOW DH. (.4)THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING THE ILS RUNWAY 36 APPROACH WHEN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A 150 FOOT HIGH POWER LINE, LOCATED ABOUT 2.5 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE LOCAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER CLEARING THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE TO LAND, THE TOWER HAD A POWER INTERRUPTION WHICH CAUSED THE RADAR TO BLINK AND GET SKEWED. SHE THEN NOTICED THE AIRPLANE'S DATA BLOCK DISAPPEARED. PRIOR TO THE POWER OUTAGE, SHE HAD BEEN LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW TO CHECK THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE APPROACH CONTROLLER STATED HE DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL WITH THE AIRPLANE AFTER HANDING IT OFF TO THE TOWER. HE STATED THE AIRPLANE'S ALTITUDE APPEARED NORMAL, AND HE DID NOT SEE IT DEVIATE FROM THE LOCALIZER. ACCORDING TO THE SUPERVISOR, HE SAW A LOW ALTITUDE ALERT FOR THE AIRPLANE, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY THE INTERRUPTION OF POWER TO THE BUILDING. HE DID NOT SEE THE AIRPLANE MAKE ANY LATERAL DEVIATIONS FROM THE LOCALIZER. THE REPORTED WEATHER CONSISTED OF A 500 FEET OVERCAST AND 3 MILES VISIBILITY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUCTION. THE MINIMUM ALTITUDE FOR THE APPROACH WAS 376 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. A FLIGHT TEST OF THE ILS NAVIGATIONAL FACILITY DID NOT DISCLOSE ANOMALIES. (-23) PILOT WAS MAKING AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH AT THE TALLAHASSEE REGIONAL AIRPORT. FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON THE PILOT WAS WELL BELOW HIS GLIDE PATH. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK POWERLINES APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILES SOUTH OF RUNWAY 36. THE AIRPLANE WAS DEMOLISHED RESULTING IN TWO FATALITIES. (PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.