What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N8804H departed waterloo regional airport, waterloo, Iowa, and was destined for the georgetown scott county airport-marshall field, georgetown, Kentucky. privacy data omitted Were both non instrument rated pilots. The weather conditions the morning of the 25th of June varied from marginal visual flight rules (VFR) at some altitudes to instrument meteorological condition (IMC). Surface visibilities ranged from 1/2 to 1/4 statute mile visibility, and the cloud tops were reported at 2,300 MSL with haze. The pilot privacy data omitted checked in with quad city approach and was assigned to "maintain VFR at or above 3,500 feet..." A METAR weather report for moline airport was issued at 0752 local time with conditions reported as calm winds, 1/2 sm visibility, runway 9 runway visual range (RVR) of 1800 to 2400 feet fog, with overcast skies at 100 feet above ground level (AGL). Air traffic control (ATC) issued N8804H a few traffic reports and then lost communication with their airplane. Multiple attempts were made by ATC to contact the aircraft. ATC reports indicate a descent commencing at 0809 and 12 seconds from 3,247 feet MSL, heading 126 degrees, and airspeed 130 knots and continuing until 0809 and 42 seconds altitude unavailable (ground level), heading 260, airspeed 192 knots. The descent rate indicated a loss of 2494 feet in 30 seconds. The report also indicates approximately a right 30 degree bank from a heading of 126 degrees to 260 degrees. Witnesses state they heard a loud engine before impact. Based on evidence at the crash site and witnesses interviews, it is not believed that maintenance issues caused the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N8804H DEPARTED WATERLOO REGIONAL AIRPORT, WATERLOO, IOWA, AND WAS DESTINED FOR THE GEORGETOWN SCOTT COUNTY AIRPORT-MARSHALL FIELD, GEORGETOWN, KENTUCKY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WERE BOTH NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOTS. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS THE MORNING OF THE 25TH OF JUNE VARIED FROM MARGINAL VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) AT SOME ALTITUDES TO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITION (IMC). SURFACE VISIBILITIES RANGED FROM 1/2 TO 1/4 STATUTE MILE VISIBILITY, AND THE CLOUD TOPS WERE REPORTED AT 2,300 MSL WITH HAZE. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CHECKED IN WITH QUAD CITY APPROACH AND WAS ASSIGNED TO "MAINTAIN VFR AT OR ABOVE 3,500 FEET..." A METAR WEATHER REPORT FOR MOLINE AIRPORT WAS ISSUED AT 0752 LOCAL TIME WITH CONDITIONS REPORTED AS CALM WINDS, 1/2 SM VISIBILITY, RUNWAY 9 RUNWAY VISUAL RANGE (RVR) OF 1800 TO 2400 FEET FOG, WITH OVERCAST SKIES AT 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL). AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) ISSUED N8804H A FEW TRAFFIC REPORTS AND THEN LOST COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR AIRPLANE. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BY ATC TO CONTACT THE AIRCRAFT. ATC REPORTS INDICATE A DESCENT COMMENCING AT 0809 AND 12 SECONDS FROM 3,247 FEET MSL, HEADING 126 DEGREES, AND AIRSPEED 130 KNOTS AND CONTINUING UNTIL 0809 AND 42 SECONDS ALTITUDE UNAVAILABLE (GROUND LEVEL), HEADING 260, AIRSPEED 192 KNOTS. THE DESCENT RATE INDICATED A LOSS OF 2494 FEET IN 30 SECONDS. THE REPORT ALSO INDICATES APPROXIMATELY A RIGHT 30 DEGREE BANK FROM A HEADING OF 126 DEGREES TO 260 DEGREES. WITNESSES STATE THEY HEARD A LOUD ENGINE BEFORE IMPACT. BASED ON EVIDENCE AT THE CRASH SITE AND WITNESSES INTERVIEWS, IT IS NOT BELIEVED THAT MAINTENANCE ISSUES CAUSED THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.