What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft apparently departed N13 (bloomsburg, PA), bound for kdyb (summerville, SC). The pilot did not file an IFR or VFR flight plan. He obtained weather forecasts and NOTAMS, via dtc duats, for kipt (williamsport, PA) and apparently for an airport near his destination. The pilot did not obtain flight following.
The following times are UTC, and altitudes are MSL. The aircraft appeared on harrisburg approach control radar at 0949, on a southwest track at 3,600 feet. The ground track became erratic and the aircraft began a climb, reaching 10,400 feet. At 1014 the aircraft began descending. At 1018 radar indicates that the aircraft entered the footprint of a band of precipitation. The entire flight was conducted in night conditions.
At 1027 the aircraft made an abrupt 180-degree left turn and descended from 7,800 feet to 7,000 feet at 2,000 feet per minute. The last radar contact indicated 2,700 feet and zero ground speed. The elapsed time between the last two sweeps and the mode-c altitude reports indicate that the aircraft was descending at 14,300 feet per minute.
The aircraft broke up in flight, apparently at low altitude. The debris field was 2,180 feet long and approximately 100 yards in width. Only the forward fuselage, the engines, one propeller, and wing sections inboard of the engines remained attached before impact. At the time of the accident it was snowing in the accident area.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT APPARENTLY DEPARTED N13 (BLOOMSBURG, PA), BOUND FOR KDYB (SUMMERVILLE, SC). THE PILOT DID NOT FILE AN IFR OR VFR FLIGHT PLAN. HE OBTAINED WEATHER FORECASTS AND NOTAMS, VIA DTC DUATS, FOR KIPT (WILLIAMSPORT, PA) AND APPARENTLY FOR AN AIRPORT NEAR HIS DESTINATION. THE PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN FLIGHT FOLLOWING.
THE FOLLOWING TIMES ARE UTC, AND ALTITUDES ARE MSL. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED ON HARRISBURG APPROACH CONTROL RADAR AT 0949, ON A SOUTHWEST TRACK AT 3,600 FEET. THE GROUND TRACK BECAME ERRATIC AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A CLIMB, REACHING 10,400 FEET. AT 1014 THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN DESCENDING. AT 1018 RADAR INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE FOOTPRINT OF A BAND OF PRECIPITATION. THE ENTIRE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED IN NIGHT CONDITIONS.
AT 1027 THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN ABRUPT 180-DEGREE LEFT TURN AND DESCENDED FROM 7,800 FEET TO 7,000 FEET AT 2,000 FEET PER MINUTE. THE LAST RADAR CONTACT INDICATED 2,700 FEET AND ZERO GROUND SPEED. THE ELAPSED TIME BETWEEN THE LAST TWO SWEEPS AND THE MODE-C ALTITUDE REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING AT 14,300 FEET PER MINUTE.
THE AIRCRAFT BROKE UP IN FLIGHT, APPARENTLY AT LOW ALTITUDE. THE DEBRIS FIELD WAS 2,180 FEET LONG AND APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS IN WIDTH. ONLY THE FORWARD FUSELAGE, THE ENGINES, ONE PROPELLER, AND WING SECTIONS INBOARD OF THE ENGINES REMAINED ATTACHED BEFORE IMPACT. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IT WAS SNOWING IN THE ACCIDENT AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.