What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft crashed 2.5 miles n nw of Sitka Airport while on IFR approach to runway 11 on 7-3-03 approx at 5PM. Aircraft wreckage was severely burned, prop/engine appeared to be turning with power, in-flight separation not evident. Approximate heading of aircraft through the trees was 158 degrees. 5 souls all fatal. Three of the persons onboard were certificated pilots. Flight was a corporate/private enroute from Colorado to anchorage with a fuel stop in prince rupert, bc. Reason to land sit was due to warning light for a door according to reports. Last radio transmission to sit fss was approx 4:50PM on 7-3-03. (-23 amendment) reviewed ATC radar track and ATC tapes. ATC clearance N777DX direct to tipeh (faf) and to maintain 7000 feet until established on a published portion of the approach. Read back was correct from pilot. Aircraft descended after that transmission and crossed and passed tipeh well below 7000 feet and subsequent crash into terrain. Aircraft did not turn outbound on published approach but made a turn back to airport after passing tipeh.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT CRASHED 2.5 MILES N NW OF SITKA AIRPORT WHILE ON IFR APPROACH TO RUNWAY 11 ON 7-3-03 APPROX AT 5PM. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS SEVERELY BURNED, PROP/ENGINE APPEARED TO BE TURNING WITH POWER, IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION NOT EVIDENT. APPROXIMATE HEADING OF AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE TREES WAS 158 DEGREES. 5 SOULS ALL FATAL. THREE OF THE PERSONS ONBOARD WERE CERTIFICATED PILOTS. FLIGHT WAS A CORPORATE/PRIVATE ENROUTE FROM COLORADO TO ANCHORAGE WITH A FUEL STOP IN PRINCE RUPERT, BC. REASON TO LAND SIT WAS DUE TO WARNING LIGHT FOR A DOOR ACCORDING TO REPORTS. LAST RADIO TRANSMISSION TO SIT FSS WAS APPROX 4:50PM ON 7-3-03. (-23 AMENDMENT) REVIEWED ATC RADAR TRACK AND ATC TAPES. ATC CLEARANCE N777DX DIRECT TO TIPEH (FAF) AND TO MAINTAIN 7000 FEET UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON A PUBLISHED PORTION OF THE APPROACH. READ BACK WAS CORRECT FROM PILOT. AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AFTER THAT TRANSMISSION AND CROSSED AND PASSED TIPEH WELL BELOW 7000 FEET AND SUBSEQUENT CRASH INTO TERRAIN. AIRCRAFT DID NOT TURN OUTBOUND ON PUBLISHED APPROACH BUT MADE A TURN BACK TO AIRPORT AFTER PASSING TIPEH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.