What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft flew from twin falls, id (twf) for Truckee, CA (trk). The aircraft was cleared for the vor/dme RNAV gps-a approach. The weather five minutes prior to the time of the accident was ceiling 1500'BKN, 2400'OVC, visibility 1 1/2 sm light rain and mist, winds 210 degrees at 24 knots, gusting to 34 knots. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying from the north to the south, passing over runway 10/28 and entering a left downwind for runway 28. Several witnesses stated the aircraft used a steeper than normal bank turning base leg and was at approximately 300-400 feet AGL. Two witnesses stated they lost sight of the aircraft on the base leg. Several witnesses observed the aircraft roll wings level momentarily on the turn to final; it was descending at a high rate. All witnesses stated the aircraft then rolled into a left 60 degree bank, followed by a quick left roll to a 90 degree bank and a sharp nose drop toward the horizon. At that point it hit the ground 2052' east of the end of runway 28 and 306' north of the extended centerline. The aircraft wreckage came to rest approximately 150 yards further west. A short fire ensued. The aircraft was destroyed and the two pilot occupants were killed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT FLEW FROM TWIN FALLS, ID (TWF) FOR TRUCKEE, CA (TRK). THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FOR THE VOR/DME RNAV GPS-A APPROACH. THE WEATHER FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS CEILING 1500'BKN, 2400'OVC, VISIBILITY 1 1/2 SM LIGHT RAIN AND MIST, WINDS 210 DEGREES AT 24 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 34 KNOTS. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING FROM THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH, PASSING OVER RUNWAY 10/28 AND ENTERING A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 28. SEVERAL WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT USED A STEEPER THAN NORMAL BANK TURNING BASE LEG AND WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 300-400 FEET AGL. TWO WITNESSES STATED THEY LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT ON THE BASE LEG. SEVERAL WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT ROLL WINGS LEVEL MOMENTARILY ON THE TURN TO FINAL; IT WAS DESCENDING AT A HIGH RATE. ALL WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROLLED INTO A LEFT 60 DEGREE BANK, FOLLOWED BY A QUICK LEFT ROLL TO A 90 DEGREE BANK AND A SHARP NOSE DROP TOWARD THE HORIZON. AT THAT POINT IT HIT THE GROUND 2052' EAST OF THE END OF RUNWAY 28 AND 306' NORTH OF THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 150 YARDS FURTHER WEST. A SHORT FIRE ENSUED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE TWO PILOT OCCUPANTS WERE KILLED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.