What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 29, 2003, at 0853 mountain standard time, a Cessna 208B, N791FE, registered to fedex and operated by corporate air, inc., billings, Montana, as airspur 8773, was substantially damaged when it impacted U.S. Highway 14 while circling to land following a vor-a instrument approach to Yellowstone Regional Airport (cod), Cody, Wyoming. The airline transport certificated pilot was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the scheduled domestic cargo flight being operated under title 14 CFR part 135. An IFR flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed natrona county international airport (cpr), casper, Wyoming, approximately 0730. Enroute the pilot held over the Cody VOR at 12,000 feet waiting for weather to clear at Cody. While holding the pilot reported traces of rime ice to the fss. The pilot then discussed the weather with individuals at the airport on UNICOM and stated that he would attempt the approach and if he could not make it in he would divert to billings, MT. Then, according to witnesses, the airplane was observed to turn onto base leg abeam runway 04 approximately 200 feet above the ground. The right wing dropped sharply, followed by the left wing dropping sharply, then the airplane rolled to the right, went inverted, and impacted the highway. The airplane slid down an embankment and into alkali lake, coming to rest 40 feet from shore.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 29, 2003, AT 0853 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 208B, N791FE, REGISTERED TO FEDEX AND OPERATED BY CORPORATE AIR, INC., BILLINGS, MONTANA, AS AIRSPUR 8773, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED U.S. HIGHWAY 14 WHILE CIRCLING TO LAND FOLLOWING A VOR-A INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO YELLOWSTONE REGIONAL AIRPORT (COD), CODY, WYOMING. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE SCHEDULED DOMESTIC CARGO FLIGHT BEING OPERATED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 135. AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED NATRONA COUNTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CPR), CASPER, WYOMING, APPROXIMATELY 0730. ENROUTE THE PILOT HELD OVER THE CODY VOR AT 12,000 FEET WAITING FOR WEATHER TO CLEAR AT CODY. WHILE HOLDING THE PILOT REPORTED TRACES OF RIME ICE TO THE FSS. THE PILOT THEN DISCUSSED THE WEATHER WITH INDIVIDUALS AT THE AIRPORT ON UNICOM AND STATED THAT HE WOULD ATTEMPT THE APPROACH AND IF HE COULD NOT MAKE IT IN HE WOULD DIVERT TO BILLINGS, MT. THEN, ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO TURN ONTO BASE LEG ABEAM RUNWAY 04 APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE RIGHT WING DROPPED SHARPLY, FOLLOWED BY THE LEFT WING DROPPING SHARPLY, THEN THE AIRPLANE ROLLED TO THE RIGHT, WENT INVERTED, AND IMPACTED THE HIGHWAY. THE AIRPLANE SLID DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND INTO ALKALI LAKE, COMING TO REST 40 FEET FROM SHORE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.