What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 05, 2003 at approximately 2240 central standard time a Raytheon Beechcraft BE-36-A36, N7353Z, piloted by an airline transport rated pilot was destroyed during an in-flight collision with trees and terrain near Sparta, IL. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight departed duluth international airport, duluth, MN enroute to cape girardeau regional airport, cape girardeau, MO on an IFR flight plan. While enroute the pilot reported to air traffic control that flight had encountered icing conditions and requested to divert to Sparta Community airport, Sparta, IL. The airplane impacted terrain approximately four nautical miles south of Sparta Community airport. The pilot and sole passenger onboard received fatal injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 05, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 2240 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME A RAYTHEON BEECHCRAFT BE-36-A36, N7353Z, PILOTED BY AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT WAS DESTROYED DURING AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN NEAR SPARTA, IL. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED DULUTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, DULUTH, MN ENROUTE TO CAPE GIRARDEAU REGIONAL AIRPORT, CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. WHILE ENROUTE THE PILOT REPORTED TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT FLIGHT HAD ENCOUNTERED ICING CONDITIONS AND REQUESTED TO DIVERT TO SPARTA COMMUNITY AIRPORT, SPARTA, IL. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY FOUR NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF SPARTA COMMUNITY AIRPORT. THE PILOT AND SOLE PASSENGER ONBOARD RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.