What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot was completing an aerial mapping mission and was returning ot the Nampa, Idaho airport (S67) during a VFR approach to landing runway 29 at S67. The pilot experienced an engine failure on the down wind leg. While on final approach the aircraft got too low and struck a power line that was about 250 yards from the end of the runway. The pilot lost control of the aircraft and landed very hard about 100 yards short of the runway. About 2 or 3 minutes after impact and about 30 seconds after the pilot retrieved the passenger, the aircraft exploded and was destroyed. The pilot received minor injuries and the passenger serious injuries. The pilot stated that the fuel tanks were "about half full", he said that he switched fuel tanks every half hour. Witnesses stated the aircraft was "topped off" just prior to takeoff.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING AN AERIAL MAPPING MISSION AND WAS RETURNING OT THE NAMPA, IDAHO AIRPORT (S67) DURING A VFR APPROACH TO LANDING RUNWAY 29 AT S67. THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE ON THE DOWN WIND LEG. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT GOT TOO LOW AND STRUCK A POWER LINE THAT WAS ABOUT 250 YARDS FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED VERY HARD ABOUT 100 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINUTES AFTER IMPACT AND ABOUT 30 SECONDS AFTER THE PILOT RETRIEVED THE PASSENGER, THE AIRCRAFT EXPLODED AND WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER SERIOUS INJURIES. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE "ABOUT HALF FULL", HE SAID THAT HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS EVERY HALF HOUR. WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS "TOPPED OFF" JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.