What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 23, 2009, the aircraft departed for atkinson, WI (K61C) en route for chamberlain, SD (K9V9) at approximately 0800 hours with 208 pounds of baggage and a combined weight of 610 pounds for the passengers and crew. Prior to departure, the aircraft received 12 gallons of fuel. A witness at the point of departure overheard a conversation between the two pilots that a fuel stop would be needed if the tanks were only filled to the "tabs". Witnesses at the accident scene observed the aircraft flying at a very low altitude with its wings rocking left and right, and reported hearing the engine "sputter", quit restart, then quit again. The fuel tanks were intact, with no evidence of a fuel leak from either tank, and less than one gallon remained when both tanks were drained. Investigation revealed a fuel stop never occurred along the aircraft's route of flight. Weather conditions at the time of the accident was fair with winds from the west at 3 mph. A front was approaching from the west, and approximately 15 minutes later winds were gusting to 45 mph with rain. Aircraft impacted a berm adjacent to the highway approximately two feet from the top, coming to rest nose down.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 23, 2009, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FOR ATKINSON, WI (K61C) EN ROUTE FOR CHAMBERLAIN, SD (K9V9) AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 HOURS WITH 208 POUNDS OF BAGGAGE AND A COMBINED WEIGHT OF 610 POUNDS FOR THE PASSENGERS AND CREW. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED 12 GALLONS OF FUEL. A WITNESS AT THE POINT OF DEPARTURE OVERHEARD A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE TWO PILOTS THAT A FUEL STOP WOULD BE NEEDED IF THE TANKS WERE ONLY FILLED TO THE "TABS". WITNESSES AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE WITH ITS WINGS ROCKING LEFT AND RIGHT, AND REPORTED HEARING THE ENGINE "SPUTTER", QUIT RESTART, THEN QUIT AGAIN. THE FUEL TANKS WERE INTACT, WITH NO EVIDENCE OF A FUEL LEAK FROM EITHER TANK, AND LESS THAN ONE GALLON REMAINED WHEN BOTH TANKS WERE DRAINED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FUEL STOP NEVER OCCURRED ALONG THE AIRCRAFT'S ROUTE OF FLIGHT. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS FAIR WITH WINDS FROM THE WEST AT 3 MPH. A FRONT WAS APPROACHING FROM THE WEST, AND APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES LATER WINDS WERE GUSTING TO 45 MPH WITH RAIN. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A BERM ADJACENT TO THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY TWO FEET FROM THE TOP, COMING TO REST NOSE DOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.