What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) (None: an IFR flight plan was not filed and there were no surviving parties to this accident, consequently this narrative is based solely on witness statements and the on-site investigation). At approximately 21:45 local time, the pilot and 3 passengers were returning from rochester in and attempted to make approach at night at a small uncontrolled airport in Wabash in. According to witnesses, the runway lights were off when the pilot made a horseshoe approach and was first observed from the northeast and then continued west, then north. A witness stated that the throttle was at idle speed, and then heard the engine sputter, then go into a high RPM. The aircraft landed at rest approximately 1/4 mile from the airport runway and was headed east. At the point of impact there was indications that the left wing struck first and approximately 25 feet later the propeller struck the ground under power. The aircraft came to rest and inverted approximately 100 feet past initial impact. There was evidence of fire at impact and the aircraft was destroyed by fire. A homeowner at the scene attempted to rescue a male passenger seated in the rear seat but was unable to free him the from the wreckage due to heat and obstructions.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) (NONE: AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO SURVIVING PARTIES TO THIS ACCIDENT, CONSEQUENTLY THIS NARRATIVE IS BASED SOLELY ON WITNESS STATEMENTS AND THE ON-SITE INVESTIGATION). AT APPROXIMATELY 21:45 LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT AND 3 PASSENGERS WERE RETURNING FROM ROCHESTER IN AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE APPROACH AT NIGHT AT A SMALL UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT IN WABASH IN. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE OFF WHEN THE PILOT MADE A HORSESHOE APPROACH AND WAS FIRST OBSERVED FROM THE NORTHEAST AND THEN CONTINUED WEST, THEN NORTH. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS AT IDLE SPEED, AND THEN HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTER, THEN GO INTO A HIGH RPM. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT REST APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE FROM THE AIRPORT RUNWAY AND WAS HEADED EAST. AT THE POINT OF IMPACT THERE WAS INDICATIONS THAT THE LEFT WING STRUCK FIRST AND APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET LATER THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND UNDER POWER. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST AND INVERTED APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET PAST INITIAL IMPACT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF FIRE AT IMPACT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. A HOMEOWNER AT THE SCENE ATTEMPTED TO RESCUE A MALE PASSENGER SEATED IN THE REAR SEAT BUT WAS UNABLE TO FREE HIM THE FROM THE WRECKAGE DUE TO HEAT AND OBSTRUCTIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.