What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft destroyed and fatal injuries to all three pilots aboard. Several eyewitnesses described a flat spin of only several turns with rotation which stopped before impact. Evidence at the impact site is consistent with a near vertical impact on the belly of the aircraft. The main pieces of the cabin, aft fuselage, both engines, tail structure and cockpit roof were all found within 15 feet of the initial impact crater. All three landing gear legs were detached from the fuselage and were found buried in the mud in the initial impact crater. Evidence shows that the landing gear was extended and the flaps were in the "approach flap" position at the time of impact. Initial analysis of the ATC radar data shows that the Hawker had been on a northwest heading and level at approximately 5,000 feet MSL altitude for several minutes before radar contact was lost. The part 135 operator reported that the above listed two pilots and an additional pilot, (Mr. Ronald keith trahan - ATP 455390094) were onboard the Hawker and conducting pilot flight training in preparation for part 135 competency and proficiency tests scheduled to be conducted in this aircraft during the following week with part 135 proving tests to follow.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DESTROYED AND FATAL INJURIES TO ALL THREE PILOTS ABOARD. SEVERAL EYEWITNESSES DESCRIBED A FLAT SPIN OF ONLY SEVERAL TURNS WITH ROTATION WHICH STOPPED BEFORE IMPACT. EVIDENCE AT THE IMPACT SITE IS CONSISTENT WITH A NEAR VERTICAL IMPACT ON THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE MAIN PIECES OF THE CABIN, AFT FUSELAGE, BOTH ENGINES, TAIL STRUCTURE AND COCKPIT ROOF WERE ALL FOUND WITHIN 15 FEET OF THE INITIAL IMPACT CRATER. ALL THREE LANDING GEAR LEGS WERE DETACHED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND WERE FOUND BURIED IN THE MUD IN THE INITIAL IMPACT CRATER. EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND THE FLAPS WERE IN THE "APPROACH FLAP" POSITION AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. INITIAL ANALYSIS OF THE ATC RADAR DATA SHOWS THAT THE HAWKER HAD BEEN ON A NORTHWEST HEADING AND LEVEL AT APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FEET MSL ALTITUDE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. THE PART 135 OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE ABOVE LISTED TWO PILOTS AND AN ADDITIONAL PILOT, (MR. RONALD KEITH TRAHAN - ATP 455390094) WERE ONBOARD THE HAWKER AND CONDUCTING PILOT FLIGHT TRAINING IN PREPARATION FOR PART 135 COMPETENCY AND PROFICIENCY TESTS SCHEDULED TO BE CONDUCTED IN THIS AIRCRAFT DURING THE FOLLOWING WEEK WITH PART 135 PROVING TESTS TO FOLLOW.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.