What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.23) At 0103/0503Z N1072D/BE-58 owner and pilot;privacy data omittedcrashed at the Palatka airport in IFR wx conditionsprivacy data omitteddid not survive. The aircraft burned and was totally destroyedprivacy data omittedwas not instrument rated. (-4)at 0103, N1072D, collided with terrain and trees during approach to landing on runway 09, at the kay Larkin municipal airport, in Palatka, Florida. The airplane had departed palm beach international airport, west palm beach, Florida, about 2300 the previous day, and no flight plan was filed. According to a witness, on the second approach the airplane was over runway 09 moving from west to east, when the witness saw the airplane break-out of the overcast in a 30 degree bank to the right and a high descent rate. The witness told the pilot to level his wings and 'pull up, pull up'. He heard the engines go to full power, and saw the nose of the airplane raise up but the wings never leveled, and the airplanes descent rate never changed. He said he heard the crash and saw a large fire ball. Weather at the time of the accident was below instrument approach minimums and the pilot was not instrument rated. A toxicology examination of the pilot found high levels of alcohol in fluid specimens examined.
As the FAA filed it
(.23) AT 0103/0503Z N1072D/BE-58 OWNER AND PILOT;^PRIVACY DAT^CRASHED AT THE PALATKA AIRPORT IN IFR WX CONDITIONS^PRIVACY D^DID NOT SURVIVE. THE AIRCRAFT BURNED AND WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED^PRIVACY D^WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. (-4)AT 0103, N1072D, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AND TREES DURING APPROACH TO LANDING ON RUNWAY 09, AT THE KAY LARKIN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, IN PALATKA, FLORIDA. THE AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, ABOUT 2300 THE PREVIOUS DAY, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, ON THE SECOND APPROACH THE AIRPLANE WAS OVER RUNWAY 09 MOVING FROM WEST TO EAST, WHEN THE WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE BREAK-OUT OF THE OVERCAST IN A 30 DEGREE BANK TO THE RIGHT AND A HIGH DESCENT RATE. THE WITNESS TOLD THE PILOT TO LEVEL HIS WINGS AND 'PULL UP, PULL UP'. HE HEARD THE ENGINES GO TO FULL POWER, AND SAW THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE RAISE UP BUT THE WINGS NEVER LEVELED, AND THE AIRPLANES DESCENT RATE NEVER CHANGED. HE SAID HE HEARD THE CRASH AND SAW A LARGE FIRE BALL. WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS BELOW INSTRUMENT APPROACH MINIMUMS AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. A TOXICOLOGY EXAMINATION OF THE PILOT FOUND HIGH LEVELS OF ALCOHOL IN FLUID SPECIMENS EXAMINED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.