What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 6, 2012 at 0914 pacific standard time, an Israel Aircraft Industries (iai) kfir F-21C2 single-seat turbojet fighter, registration N404AX, operated by airborne tactical advantage company (atac) under contract to naval air systems command (navair) as a civil pubic aircraft operation, crashed upon landing at naval air station Fallon (nfl), Fallon, Nevada. The sole occupant pilot aboard was killed, and the airplane was substantially damaged by impact forces and fire. The flight departed nfl at 0752 the same day, and following an adversary training mission that lasted approximately 1 hour, returned to nfl. The pilot attempted two ground control approaches (gca) to nfl utilizing precision radar approach equipment. During the 2nd approach, the pilot requested a divert to reno (rno) but was unable to land there because the field was reporting below minimum weather conditions. The pilot then turned back toward nfl and stated to air traffic controllers that he was in a critical fuel state. The pilot was initially cleared to land runway 31, however, without communication with ATC, he descended and maneuvered toward runway 13. The airplane struck the ground in an open field located at the northwest corner of the airport property and impacted a concrete building. Weather at the time of the accident was reported as snowing with northerly winds of 23 knots gusting to 34 knots, and visibility between one-half and one and one-half miles.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 6, 2012 AT 0914 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN ISRAEL AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES (IAI) KFIR F-21C2 SINGLE-SEAT TURBOJET FIGHTER, REGISTRATION N404AX, OPERATED BY AIRBORNE TACTICAL ADVANTAGE COMPANY (ATAC) UNDER CONTRACT TO NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND (NAVAIR) AS A CIVIL PUBIC AIRCRAFT OPERATION, CRASHED UPON LANDING AT NAVAL AIR STATION FALLON (NFL), FALLON, NEVADA. THE SOLE OCCUPANT PILOT ABOARD WAS KILLED, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED BY IMPACT FORCES AND FIRE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED NFL AT 0752 THE SAME DAY, AND FOLLOWING AN ADVERSARY TRAINING MISSION THAT LASTED APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR, RETURNED TO NFL. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TWO GROUND CONTROL APPROACHES (GCA) TO NFL UTILIZING PRECISION RADAR APPROACH EQUIPMENT. DURING THE 2ND APPROACH, THE PILOT REQUESTED A DIVERT TO RENO (RNO) BUT WAS UNABLE TO LAND THERE BECAUSE THE FIELD WAS REPORTING BELOW MINIMUM WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE PILOT THEN TURNED BACK TOWARD NFL AND STATED TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS THAT HE WAS IN A CRITICAL FUEL STATE. THE PILOT WAS INITIALLY CLEARED TO LAND RUNWAY 31, HOWEVER, WITHOUT COMMUNICATION WITH ATC, HE DESCENDED AND MANEUVERED TOWARD RUNWAY 13. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND IN AN OPEN FIELD LOCATED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE AIRPORT PROPERTY AND IMPACTED A CONCRETE BUILDING. WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED AS SNOWING WITH NORTHERLY WINDS OF 23 KNOTS GUSTING TO 34 KNOTS, AND VISIBILITY BETWEEN ONE-HALF AND ONE AND ONE-HALF MILES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.