What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) 12/28/04: Aircraft enroute from menominee-marinette twin county (mnm) to Ironwood (iwd) reportedly radioed ATC with engine & hyd system difficulties. Aircraft impacted ground within one half mile of iwd airport resulting in 5 fatalities, (1 PIC and 4 pax). Aircraft destroyed. 12/29-12/30/04: on scene investigation-preliminary observations show aircraft impacted ground at almost 90 degree angle (straight in) at a hi rate of speed. NTSB, Piper, & Lycoming personnel on scene. Subsequent investigation of aircraft wreckage showed flight control(s) had no apparent continuity anomalies and engine(s) control had no apparent continuity anomalies. Hydraulic (hyd) failure appears to be result of left engine failure as hyd pump is mounted on left engine, subsequent investigation of hyd pump revealed no anomalies. Main landing gear were found in the down position. Left propeller was not in the feathered position and did not appear to be rotating at impact. Right propeller & engine were rotating at impact. Left engine #4 cylinder head was cracked/fully separated from cylinder body by appx 1.5 inches. Continuity of accy gearcase check good, compression & spark checks good, fuel injectors and manifold appear normal. Right engine had no apparent damage and continuity of accy gearcase check good, compression & spark checks good, fuel injectors and manifold appear normal. Ice accumulation (3/8"-1/2") was noted on some surfaces, but wind leading edge boots appeared slightly inflated and had no ice build-up indicating normal operation at impact. Horizontal stab boots clean also. 1/20/2004: still unable to locate airframe and engine logbooks. Not found in wreckage and suspect at pilot's residence. Have been advised by family members, courts have secured house at this time.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) 12/28/04: AIRCRAFT ENROUTE FROM MENOMINEE-MARINETTE TWIN COUNTY (MNM) TO IRONWOOD (IWD) REPORTEDLY RADIOED ATC WITH ENGINE & HYD SYSTEM DIFFICULTIES. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED GROUND WITHIN ONE HALF MILE OF IWD AIRPORT RESULTING IN 5 FATALITIES, (1 PIC AND 4 PAX). AIRCRAFT DESTROYED. 12/29-12/30/04: ON SCENE INVESTIGATION-PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS SHOW AIRCRAFT IMPACTED GROUND AT ALMOST 90 DEGREE ANGLE (STRAIGHT IN) AT A HI RATE OF SPEED. NTSB, PIPER, & LYCOMING PERSONNEL ON SCENE. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION OF AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE SHOWED FLIGHT CONTROL(S) HAD NO APPARENT CONTINUITY ANOMALIES AND ENGINE(S) CONTROL HAD NO APPARENT CONTINUITY ANOMALIES. HYDRAULIC (HYD) FAILURE APPEARS TO BE RESULT OF LEFT ENGINE FAILURE AS HYD PUMP IS MOUNTED ON LEFT ENGINE, SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION OF HYD PUMP REVEALED NO ANOMALIES. MAIN LANDING GEAR WERE FOUND IN THE DOWN POSITION. LEFT PROPELLER WAS NOT IN THE FEATHERED POSITION AND DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ROTATING AT IMPACT. RIGHT PROPELLER & ENGINE WERE ROTATING AT IMPACT. LEFT ENGINE #4 CYLINDER HEAD WAS CRACKED/FULLY SEPARATED FROM CYLINDER BODY BY APPX 1.5 INCHES. CONTINUITY OF ACCY GEARCASE CHECK GOOD, COMPRESSION & SPARK CHECKS GOOD, FUEL INJECTORS AND MANIFOLD APPEAR NORMAL. RIGHT ENGINE HAD NO APPARENT DAMAGE AND CONTINUITY OF ACCY GEARCASE CHECK GOOD, COMPRESSION & SPARK CHECKS GOOD, FUEL INJECTORS AND MANIFOLD APPEAR NORMAL. ICE ACCUMULATION (3/8"-1/2") WAS NOTED ON SOME SURFACES, BUT WIND LEADING EDGE BOOTS APPEARED SLIGHTLY INFLATED AND HAD NO ICE BUILD-UP INDICATING NORMAL OPERATION AT IMPACT. HORIZONTAL STAB BOOTS CLEAN ALSO. 1/20/2004: STILL UNABLE TO LOCATE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE LOGBOOKS. NOT FOUND IN WRECKAGE AND SUSPECT AT PILOT'S RESIDENCE. HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY FAMILY MEMBERS, COURTS HAVE SECURED HOUSE AT THIS TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.