What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft crashed into a hillside approximately 1/4 mile north of I-70, and 40 yards west of MO hwy a. both occupants were killed and the aircraft completely destroyed upon impact. Investigation at the crash site disclosed no apparent aircraft structural or powerplant failure. Additionally, the left fuel tank showed no signs of hydraulic damage from impact, while the right tank did show signs of hydraulic impact damage. There was no sign of fire, fuel smell, or other sign of fuel at the scene except for a small amount in the right fuel line. Further investigation revealed the pilot had asked a flight instructor to conduct the preflight. The flight instructor dipped the tanks finding that the left tank was 1/4 full and the right tank 3/4 full. He informed the pilot of the fuel status. A witness at the crash site reported hearing the airplane fly over his house with the engine sputtering, then just before the sound of the impact they heard the engine. The fuel selector was set to the right tank. An experienced CFI watched the aircraft dive steeply from about 400-500 feet at a 45 degree angle at high speed. An eye witness about 100 yards from the crash site also described thesteep dive angle, and said her car clock showed 5:55 pm.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A HILLSIDE APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE NORTH OF I-70, AND 40 YARDS WEST OF MO HWY A. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE KILLED AND THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETELY DESTROYED UPON IMPACT. INVESTIGATION AT THE CRASH SITE DISCLOSED NO APPARENT AIRCRAFT STRUCTURAL OR POWERPLANT FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE LEFT FUEL TANK SHOWED NO SIGNS OF HYDRAULIC DAMAGE FROM IMPACT, WHILE THE RIGHT TANK DID SHOW SIGNS OF HYDRAULIC IMPACT DAMAGE. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF FIRE, FUEL SMELL, OR OTHER SIGN OF FUEL AT THE SCENE EXCEPT FOR A SMALL AMOUNT IN THE RIGHT FUEL LINE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT HAD ASKED A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TO CONDUCT THE PREFLIGHT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DIPPED THE TANKS FINDING THAT THE LEFT TANK WAS 1/4 FULL AND THE RIGHT TANK 3/4 FULL. HE INFORMED THE PILOT OF THE FUEL STATUS. A WITNESS AT THE CRASH SITE REPORTED HEARING THE AIRPLANE FLY OVER HIS HOUSE WITH THE ENGINE SPUTTERING, THEN JUST BEFORE THE SOUND OF THE IMPACT THEY HEARD THE ENGINE. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SET TO THE RIGHT TANK. AN EXPERIENCED CFI WATCHED THE AIRCRAFT DIVE STEEPLY FROM ABOUT 400-500 FEET AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE AT HIGH SPEED. AN EYE WITNESS ABOUT 100 YARDS FROM THE CRASH SITE ALSO DESCRIBED THESTEEP DIVE ANGLE, AND SAID HER CAR CLOCK SHOWED 5:55 PM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.