What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On January 6, 1999, about 1744 pacific standard time, a Beechcraft 58P, N700LF, registered to and operated by eastern Oregon fast freight as a 14 CFR part 91 corporate flight, collided with terrain while on a contact approach to the aurora state airport, aurora Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. The airline transport pilot and his three passengers were fatally injured. The flight originated from union county airport, la grande, Oregon approximately one hour and thirty minutes before the accident. There was no report of an ELT actuating. Witnesses in the area reported seeing an aircraft flying below tree top level just prior to the accident. A witness at the accident site stated he heard the aircraft collide with nearby trees. (-23) 1) fuselage/cabin area of aircraft almost completely consumed by post accident fire. 2) unable to establish control continuity due to complete breakup of aircraft during the accident sequence. 3) powerplants did not show evidence of malfunction prior to accident. 4) aircraft logbook review ind icates compliance with applicable regulation. 5) several witness statements indicate that the aircraft was seen flying at very low altitudes, below ceilings prior to the accident. 6) additional witness had interaction with pilot at departure airport, and provides information that a lack of competence may be causal. Continued in block 40
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JANUARY 6, 1999, ABOUT 1744 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A BEECHCRAFT 58P, N700LF, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY EASTERN OREGON FAST FREIGHT AS A 14 CFR PART 91 CORPORATE FLIGHT, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE ON A CONTACT APPROACH TO THE AURORA STATE AIRPORT, AURORA OREGON. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY A POST CRASH FIRE. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM UNION COUNTY AIRPORT, LA GRANDE, OREGON APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AND THIRTY MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO REPORT OF AN ELT ACTUATING. WITNESSES IN THE AREA REPORTED SEEING AN AIRCRAFT FLYING BELOW TREE TOP LEVEL JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. A WITNESS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE STATED HE HEARD THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDE WITH NEARBY TREES. (-23) 1) FUSELAGE/CABIN AREA OF AIRCRAFT ALMOST COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY POST ACCIDENT FIRE. 2) UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTROL CONTINUITY DUE TO COMPLETE BREAKUP OF AIRCRAFT DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. 3) POWERPLANTS DID NOT SHOW EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. 4) AIRCRAFT LOGBOOK REVIEW IND ICATES COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE REGULATION. 5) SEVERAL WITNESS STATEMENTS INDICATE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN FLYING AT VERY LOW ALTITUDES, BELOW CEILINGS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. 6) ADDITIONAL WITNESS HAD INTERACTION WITH PILOT AT DEPARTURE AIRPORT, AND PROVIDES INFORMATION THAT A LACK OF COMPETENCE MAY BE CAUSAL. CONTINUED IN BLOCK 40
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.