What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 05/25/03 N767 departed the flying b airstrip at 1305 headed south. The pilot turned southwest into the sheep creek drainage leaving the main canyon of the middle fork of the salmon river. Witnesses at the airstrip said there was thunderstorm activity that afternoon around some of the mountain tops. There is no evidence of any engine power loss. The aircraft struck standing dead timber (from a forest fire years ago) approximately 400 feet below the top of the ridgeline. The wreckage was deemed inaccessible and unsafe for an on site investigation (on sheep creek) by the NTSB. The wreckage was sling loaded by helicopter off the mountain and taken to twin falls, Idaho where FAA and NTSB will perform the rest of the investigation at that site on 07-16-03.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 05/25/03 N767 DEPARTED THE FLYING B AIRSTRIP AT 1305 HEADED SOUTH. THE PILOT TURNED SOUTHWEST INTO THE SHEEP CREEK DRAINAGE LEAVING THE MAIN CANYON OF THE MIDDLE FORK OF THE SALMON RIVER. WITNESSES AT THE AIRSTRIP SAID THERE WAS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THAT AFTERNOON AROUND SOME OF THE MOUNTAIN TOPS. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY ENGINE POWER LOSS. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK STANDING DEAD TIMBER (FROM A FOREST FIRE YEARS AGO) APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET BELOW THE TOP OF THE RIDGELINE. THE WRECKAGE WAS DEEMED INACCESSIBLE AND UNSAFE FOR AN ON SITE INVESTIGATION (ON SHEEP CREEK) BY THE NTSB. THE WRECKAGE WAS SLING LOADED BY HELICOPTER OFF THE MOUNTAIN AND TAKEN TO TWIN FALLS, IDAHO WHERE FAA AND NTSB WILL PERFORM THE REST OF THE INVESTIGATION AT THAT SITE ON 07-16-03.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.