What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft N4089W departed Tinian International Airport VFR at 02:41AM on a moonless night to transport six passengers to saipan international airport. The weather was VFR with rain showers moving through the area. The aircraft was observed from the air flying northwest at aproximately 900 feet MSL flying towards a brightly lit antenna. The aircraft was observed from the ground near the antenna in a steep left hand turn at a low altitude. The aircraft then flew out of sight heading southeast. The pilot made a radio call stating he was flying back to the runway. He then requested the current visibility at saipan. The aircraft was not seen nor heard from again. A search of the area revealed aircraft wreckage in a long debris field on a tree covered hill at about 450 feet elevation. Four survivors were airlifted to saipan hospital.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT N4089W DEPARTED TINIAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT VFR AT 02:41AM ON A MOONLESS NIGHT TO TRANSPORT SIX PASSENGERS TO SAIPAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE WEATHER WAS VFR WITH RAIN SHOWERS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FROM THE AIR FLYING NORTHWEST AT APROXIMATELY 900 FEET MSL FLYING TOWARDS A BRIGHTLY LIT ANTENNA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FROM THE GROUND NEAR THE ANTENNA IN A STEEP LEFT HAND TURN AT A LOW ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN FLEW OUT OF SIGHT HEADING SOUTHEAST. THE PILOT MADE A RADIO CALL STATING HE WAS FLYING BACK TO THE RUNWAY. HE THEN REQUESTED THE CURRENT VISIBILITY AT SAIPAN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT SEEN NOR HEARD FROM AGAIN. A SEARCH OF THE AREA REVEALED AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE IN A LONG DEBRIS FIELD ON A TREE COVERED HILL AT ABOUT 450 FEET ELEVATION. FOUR SURVIVORS WERE AIRLIFTED TO SAIPAN HOSPITAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4089W · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.