What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 12/20/2011 at 0130 CDT, a Cessna 172R, N987BT, registered to us aviation group LLC, Denton, Texas, impacted terrain while attempting to perform an ILS approach procedure to runway 18 at Denton regional airport during a time-building training flight. Onboard was an instructor, (PIC), a student (co-pilot) who was also an instrument and commercial pilot, and seated in back was a student pilot as an observer. Low IFR conditions prevailed (fog), and IFR clearance was issued by ATC for ILS approach for runway 18. The radar track indicates that the aircraft was slightly right of course for the entire approach with a course deviation that did not decrease with the progression of the approach. The pilots descended into IMC conditions while on the approach. Upon reaching decision altitude but not having the runway environment in sight, the instructor told the student to, "descend a little more". The pilots descended beyond the decision altitude and eventually saw the runway environment to their left. Seeing that they were not aligned with runway 18, the pilots elected to circle to land on runway 36. (Note: circling minimums are 500 ft. AGL. ILS minimums are 200 ft. AGL.) According to the passenger statement, the pilot climbed slightly during the turn to 36. ATC received a single radar return with an altitude value of 800 ft. during the turn the pilots overshot runway 36. They then determined there was insufficient runway remaining on runway 36 for landing and initiated a missed approach. The pilots continued northwest but failed to climb sufficiently. ATC received four radar returns with altitude values of 700 ft. immediately following the initiation of a left turn for missed approach procedures, the aircraft impacted the trees. The radar track was lost prior to impact. The aircraft was destroyed on impact and came to rest .42 miles northwest of the end of runway 18. The pilot in command (instructor) suffered serious injuries, co-pilot (student) received fatal injuries, and the passenger received minor injuries. The PIC held a commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates. The flight originated from Denton, Texas (kdto) on 12/19/2011, at 20:00 CST.
As the FAA filed it
ON 12/20/2011 AT 0130 CDT, A CESSNA 172R, N987BT, REGISTERED TO US AVIATION GROUP LLC, DENTON, TEXAS, IMPACTED TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM AN ILS APPROACH PROCEDURE TO RUNWAY 18 AT DENTON REGIONAL AIRPORT DURING A TIME-BUILDING TRAINING FLIGHT. ONBOARD WAS AN INSTRUCTOR, (PIC), A STUDENT (CO-PILOT) WHO WAS ALSO AN INSTRUMENT AND COMMERCIAL PILOT, AND SEATED IN BACK WAS A STUDENT PILOT AS AN OBSERVER. LOW IFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED (FOG), AND IFR CLEARANCE WAS ISSUED BY ATC FOR ILS APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 18. THE RADAR TRACK INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLIGHTLY RIGHT OF COURSE FOR THE ENTIRE APPROACH WITH A COURSE DEVIATION THAT DID NOT DECREASE WITH THE PROGRESSION OF THE APPROACH. THE PILOTS DESCENDED INTO IMC CONDITIONS WHILE ON THE APPROACH. UPON REACHING DECISION ALTITUDE BUT NOT HAVING THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT IN SIGHT, THE INSTRUCTOR TOLD THE STUDENT TO, "DESCEND A LITTLE MORE". THE PILOTS DESCENDED BEYOND THE DECISION ALTITUDE AND EVENTUALLY SAW THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT TO THEIR LEFT. SEEING THAT THEY WERE NOT ALIGNED WITH RUNWAY 18, THE PILOTS ELECTED TO CIRCLE TO LAND ON RUNWAY 36. (NOTE: CIRCLING MINIMUMS ARE 500 FT. AGL. ILS MINIMUMS ARE 200 FT. AGL.) ACCORDING TO THE PASSENGER STATEMENT, THE PILOT CLIMBED SLIGHTLY DURING THE TURN TO 36. ATC RECEIVED A SINGLE RADAR RETURN WITH AN ALTITUDE VALUE OF 800 FT. DURING THE TURN THE PILOTS OVERSHOT RUNWAY 36. THEY THEN DETERMINED THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING ON RUNWAY 36 FOR LANDING AND INITIATED A MISSED APPROACH. THE PILOTS CONTINUED NORTHWEST BUT FAILED TO CLIMB SUFFICIENTLY. ATC RECEIVED FOUR RADAR RETURNS WITH ALTITUDE VALUES OF 700 FT. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE INITIATION OF A LEFT TURN FOR MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURES, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TREES. THE RADAR TRACK WAS LOST PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT AND CAME TO REST .42 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE END OF RUNWAY 18. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (INSTRUCTOR) SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES, CO-PILOT (STUDENT) RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES, AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE PIC HELD A COMMERCIAL PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM DENTON, TEXAS (KDTO) ON 12/19/2011, AT 20:00 CST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.