What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 4, 2005, at 1022 mountain daylight time, a Beech 35B, N9085Q, was destroyed when it impacted terrain 13 nautical miles southwest of Barnum, Wyoming. A post impact fire ensued. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. The cross-country flight had departed bridger, Montana, at 0830 and was enroute to north platte, Nebraska. According to the air route traffic control center, the pilot contacted the controller and asked about icing reports in the area. The pilot stated that he was "having trouble holding altitude." At 1022, the pilot declared an emergency and radar and radio communications were lost. The wreckage was located on October 5, 2005, approximately 1730, by the washakie county search and rescue team.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 4, 2005, AT 1022 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH 35B, N9085Q, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN 13 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF BARNUM, WYOMING. A POST IMPACT FIRE ENSUED. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED BRIDGER, MONTANA, AT 0830 AND WAS ENROUTE TO NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. ACCORDING TO THE AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER, THE PILOT CONTACTED THE CONTROLLER AND ASKED ABOUT ICING REPORTS IN THE AREA. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS "HAVING TROUBLE HOLDING ALTITUDE." AT 1022, THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RADAR AND RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WERE LOST. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ON OCTOBER 5, 2005, APPROXIMATELY 1730, BY THE WASHAKIE COUNTY SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.