What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While on an instrument flight plan and in instrument meteorological conditions, N17784 was being radar vectored by Springfield ATC for the final approach course to runway 4 at the Abraham Lincoln captial airport in Springfield, Illinois. Approximately 7-10 miles southwest of the airport, the aircraft was lost from radar contact after the pilot and radioed the ATC tower controller that he had experienced a problem. No other radio contact was heard from N17784 and the aircraft was found shortly afterward in a field approximately 7 miles southwest of the airport. The aircraft impacted the ground nearly vertical and the three individuals onboard sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The pilot head a private pilot certificate with an instrument-airplane rating.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN AND IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, N17784 WAS BEING RADAR VECTORED BY SPRINGFIELD ATC FOR THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE TO RUNWAY 4 AT THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN CAPTIAL AIRPORT IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS. APPROXIMATELY 7-10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOST FROM RADAR CONTACT AFTER THE PILOT AND RADIOED THE ATC TOWER CONTROLLER THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM. NO OTHER RADIO CONTACT WAS HEARD FROM N17784 AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND SHORTLY AFTERWARD IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND NEARLY VERTICAL AND THE THREE INDIVIDUALS ONBOARD SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT HEAD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH AN INSTRUMENT-AIRPLANE RATING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.