What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft, a Lancair columbia 400, departed winston-salem airport, NC (int) enroute to shannon airport, fredericksburg, VA (ezf) on February 22, 2006. The aircraft arrived in the area of shannon airport at approximately 2315 local time. Weather reported at Stafford Regional Airport (rmn) was visibility 1 3/4 sm in mist, ceiling 500 feet and calm winds. Rmn is located 7.5 NM north of ezf. The aircraft executed an unsuccessful NDB approach to ezf. On missed approach, the pilot requested vectors from potomac TRACON for the ILS rwy 33 at rmn. The aircraft was vectored for the ILS as requested and was observed by potomac TRACON intercepting and proceeding to the airport via the ILS course. Radio communications with the pilot were normal. The final radar return from the aircraft occurred at 23:34:15.679 local time at an altitude of 400 feet MSL, approximately 1 NM from touchdown on the localizer centerline. This is consistent with the defined ILS approach path to rwy 33 at rmn. Loss of radar return at this point on the approach is considered normal due to radar limitations. The initial impact occurred in the tops of 50-60 foot trees, approximately 769 feet left of runway centerline adjacent to a point 600 feet remaining on the 5000 foot runway. This point is consistent with the ground track of the published missed approach. The path of wreckage continued along a heading of 274 degrees magnetic for a distance of 254 feet. Broken tree limbs indicated a relatively straight, descending vector to a four foot deep impact crater situated on gently rising terrain. The engine stopped 10 feet further up the rise and the bulk of the aircraft structure rested inverted approximately 20 feet beyond this crater. The aircraft suffered catastrophic damage on impact and was further destroyed by a severe, post-impact fire. All four occupants were fatally injured. Evidence indicates a high speed, descending flight path with the aircraft in approximately 30 degrees of left bank. Field analysis of engine components indicates the engine was producing power at the time of impact. Post accident analysis of AWOS-3 weather station at Stafford Regional Airport revealed no significant abnormalities.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT, A LANCAIR COLUMBIA 400, DEPARTED WINSTON-SALEM AIRPORT, NC (INT) ENROUTE TO SHANNON AIRPORT, FREDERICKSBURG, VA (EZF) ON FEBRUARY 22, 2006. THE AIRCRAFT ARRIVED IN THE AREA OF SHANNON AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 2315 LOCAL TIME. WEATHER REPORTED AT STAFFORD REGIONAL AIRPORT (RMN) WAS VISIBILITY 1 3/4 SM IN MIST, CEILING 500 FEET AND CALM WINDS. RMN IS LOCATED 7.5 NM NORTH OF EZF. THE AIRCRAFT EXECUTED AN UNSUCCESSFUL NDB APPROACH TO EZF. ON MISSED APPROACH, THE PILOT REQUESTED VECTORS FROM POTOMAC TRACON FOR THE ILS RWY 33 AT RMN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS VECTORED FOR THE ILS AS REQUESTED AND WAS OBSERVED BY POTOMAC TRACON INTERCEPTING AND PROCEEDING TO THE AIRPORT VIA THE ILS COURSE. RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PILOT WERE NORMAL. THE FINAL RADAR RETURN FROM THE AIRCRAFT OCCURRED AT 23:34:15.679 LOCAL TIME AT AN ALTITUDE OF 400 FEET MSL, APPROXIMATELY 1 NM FROM TOUCHDOWN ON THE LOCALIZER CENTERLINE. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE DEFINED ILS APPROACH PATH TO RWY 33 AT RMN. LOSS OF RADAR RETURN AT THIS POINT ON THE APPROACH IS CONSIDERED NORMAL DUE TO RADAR LIMITATIONS. THE INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED IN THE TOPS OF 50-60 FOOT TREES, APPROXIMATELY 769 FEET LEFT OF RUNWAY CENTERLINE ADJACENT TO A POINT 600 FEET REMAINING ON THE 5000 FOOT RUNWAY. THIS POINT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GROUND TRACK OF THE PUBLISHED MISSED APPROACH. THE PATH OF WRECKAGE CONTINUED ALONG A HEADING OF 274 DEGREES MAGNETIC FOR A DISTANCE OF 254 FEET. BROKEN TREE LIMBS INDICATED A RELATIVELY STRAIGHT, DESCENDING VECTOR TO A FOUR FOOT DEEP IMPACT CRATER SITUATED ON GENTLY RISING TERRAIN. THE ENGINE STOPPED 10 FEET FURTHER UP THE RISE AND THE BULK OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE RESTED INVERTED APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET BEYOND THIS CRATER. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE ON IMPACT AND WAS FURTHER DESTROYED BY A SEVERE, POST-IMPACT FIRE. ALL FOUR OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED. EVIDENCE INDICATES A HIGH SPEED, DESCENDING FLIGHT PATH WITH THE AIRCRAFT IN APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES OF LEFT BANK. FIELD ANALYSIS OF ENGINE COMPONENTS INDICATES THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. POST ACCIDENT ANALYSIS OF AWOS-3 WEATHER STATION AT STAFFORD REGIONAL AIRPORT REVEALED NO SIGNIFICANT ABNORMALITIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.