What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On September 16, 1998, at 0750 central daylight time, a Beech baron 58, N4574Q, operated by an airline transport rated pilot, was destroyed by fire following impact with the terrain near Oakdale, Wisconsin. The pilot had declared and emergency due to smoke in the aircraft shortly before the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 business flight was operating under an IFR flight plan. The flight originated from the dane county regional airport, madison, Wisconsin, at 0700, and was en route to the burnett county airport, near siren, Wisconsin. (-23) on 09/16/98 at approximately 07:00 local time, a Beech baron, BE58 N4574Q owned and operated by the state of Wisconsin departed madison Wisconsin enroute to burnett county airport (rzn) approximately 3 miles north of siren Wisconsin. At approximately 07:45 the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit to minneapolis air traffic control and declared an emergency. The pilot requested clearance to volk field and was vectored toward that area. Several eye witnesses reported seeing smoke coming from the fuselage area of t he aircraft just prior to the aircraft descending at rapid rate and contacting some trees and crashing in an open area adjacent to a cranberry bog approximately 1.5 miles northwest of Oakdale Wisconsin at approximately 07:50. The aircraft was destroyed as a result of the post crash fire. The pilot as well as his two passengers sustained fatal injuries. Investigation of this accident is presently ongoing and is under the direction and control of the NTSB.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1998, AT 0750 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH BARON 58, N4574Q, OPERATED BY AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT, WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE FOLLOWING IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN NEAR OAKDALE, WISCONSIN. THE PILOT HAD DECLARED AND EMERGENCY DUE TO SMOKE IN THE AIRCRAFT SHORTLY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE DANE COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT, MADISON, WISCONSIN, AT 0700, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO THE BURNETT COUNTY AIRPORT, NEAR SIREN, WISCONSIN. (-23) ON 09/16/98 AT APPROXIMATELY 07:00 LOCAL TIME, A BEECH BARON, BE58 N4574Q OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE STATE OF WISCONSIN DEPARTED MADISON WISCONSIN ENROUTE TO BURNETT COUNTY AIRPORT (RZN) APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES NORTH OF SIREN WISCONSIN. AT APPROXIMATELY 07:45 THE PILOT REPORTED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT TO MINNEAPOLIS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE PILOT REQUESTED CLEARANCE TO VOLK FIELD AND WAS VECTORED TOWARD THAT AREA. SEVERAL EYE WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING SMOKE COMING FROM THE FUSELAGE AREA OF T HE AIRCRAFT JUST PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDING AT RAPID RATE AND CONTACTING SOME TREES AND CRASHING IN AN OPEN AREA ADJACENT TO A CRANBERRY BOG APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES NORTHWEST OF OAKDALE WISCONSIN AT APPROXIMATELY 07:50. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF THE POST CRASH FIRE. THE PILOT AS WELL AS HIS TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. INVESTIGATION OF THIS ACCIDENT IS PRESENTLY ONGOING AND IS UNDER THE DIRECTION AND CONTROL OF THE NTSB.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.