What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft VFR to erv. Attempted approach but runway was not lighted. Acft requested closest apt with lights. (From .4) the non-instrument rated private pilot lost control of the twin engine airplane while attempting to divert to an airport with a lighted runway in dark night conditions with overcast skies and mist. During a weather briefing 4 hours before departure, the pilot was briefed on weather deteriorating near midnight and that runway 12/30 was closed at the destination airport. Upon arrival at the destination, the pilot made several attempts to activate runway lights for runway 20 before he inquired and was informed by the controller that runway 20 did not have any runway lights. The pilot requested a diversion to the closest airport with runway lights and at least a 4,500 foot runway. The pilot was given a heading to an airport 18 miles away. This was the last transmission acknowledged by the pilot. The airplane impacted terrain in a steep nose won attitude. Examination of the airframe and engines did not reveal evidence of any structural or mechanical anomalies. (-23) see narrative #FTW98FA192
As the FAA filed it
ACFT VFR TO ERV. ATTEMPTED APPROACH BUT RUNWAY WAS NOT LIGHTED. ACFT REQUESTED CLOSEST APT WITH LIGHTS. (FROM .4) THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DIVERT TO AN AIRPORT WITH A LIGHTED RUNWAY IN DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS WITH OVERCAST SKIES AND MIST. DURING A WEATHER BRIEFING 4 HOURS BEFORE DEPARTURE, THE PILOT WAS BRIEFED ON WEATHER DETERIORATING NEAR MIDNIGHT AND THAT RUNWAY 12/30 WAS CLOSED AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE DESTINATION, THE PILOT MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO ACTIVATE RUNWAY LIGHTS FOR RUNWAY 20 BEFORE HE INQUIRED AND WAS INFORMED BY THE CONTROLLER THAT RUNWAY 20 DID NOT HAVE ANY RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE PILOT REQUESTED A DIVERSION TO THE CLOSEST AIRPORT WITH RUNWAY LIGHTS AND AT LEAST A 4,500 FOOT RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS GIVEN A HEADING TO AN AIRPORT 18 MILES AWAY. THIS WAS THE LAST TRANSMISSION ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE PILOT. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN IN A STEEP NOSE WON ATTITUDE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINES DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF ANY STRUCTURAL OR MECHANICAL ANOMALIES. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #FTW98FA192
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.