What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N789UP departed indianapolis international airport (ind) at approximately 0408Z on April 6, 2015. The flight lasted approximately 58 minutes with the last radar return received by champaign approach control at approximately 0506Z. At approximately 0500Z N789UP was vectored to the final approach course by peoria approach control. At that time the aircraft commenced the ILS20 (i-lhj) approach into central Illinois
Regional airport at Bloomington-normal (kbmi). The aircraft appeared to
Follow the glidepath and localizer course according to radar data from
Champaign approach control. At approximately 0502Z there was a slight
Left deviation of localizer course, but it was corrected. At approximately 0503Z the aircraft descended below the coverage of both the champaign and peoria radars. During that time, flight path data is unavailable. At approximately 0504Z the aircraft reappeared on champaign radar in a climb. The aircraft continued the climb to an approximate altitude of 1900-2000 feet MSL. The aircraft then made an abrupt left turn to the east. The aircraft continued to fly eastbound with varying altitudes (1500-2000 feet MSL), groundspeeds (43 knots to 123 knots), and slight heading changes. At approximately 0506Z the aircraft entered a final climb to an altitude of approximately 2000 feet MSL and a groundspeed of 43 knots. The aircraft then drops below radar at approximately 0506Z. The estimated time of impact was around 0506Z. All occupants including 6 passengers and 1 pilot were fatally injured.
As the FAA filed it
N789UP DEPARTED INDIANAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (IND) AT APPROXIMATELY 0408Z ON APRIL 6, 2015. THE FLIGHT LASTED APPROXIMATELY 58 MINUTES WITH THE LAST RADAR RETURN RECEIVED BY CHAMPAIGN APPROACH CONTROL AT APPROXIMATELY 0506Z. AT APPROXIMATELY 0500Z N789UP WAS VECTORED TO THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE BY PEORIA APPROACH CONTROL. AT THAT TIME THE AIRCRAFT COMMENCED THE ILS20 (I-LHJ) APPROACH INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS
REGIONAL AIRPORT AT BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL (KBMI). THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO
FOLLOW THE GLIDEPATH AND LOCALIZER COURSE ACCORDING TO RADAR DATA FROM
CHAMPAIGN APPROACH CONTROL. AT APPROXIMATELY 0502Z THERE WAS A SLIGHT
LEFT DEVIATION OF LOCALIZER COURSE, BUT IT WAS CORRECTED. AT APPROXIMATELY 0503Z THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED BELOW THE COVERAGE OF BOTH THE CHAMPAIGN AND PEORIA RADARS. DURING THAT TIME, FLIGHT PATH DATA IS UNAVAILABLE. AT APPROXIMATELY 0504Z THE AIRCRAFT REAPPEARED ON CHAMPAIGN RADAR IN A CLIMB. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED THE CLIMB TO AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 1900-2000 FEET MSL. THE AIRCRAFT THEN MADE AN ABRUPT LEFT TURN TO THE EAST. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO FLY EASTBOUND WITH VARYING ALTITUDES (1500-2000 FEET MSL), GROUNDSPEEDS (43 KNOTS TO 123 KNOTS), AND SLIGHT HEADING CHANGES. AT APPROXIMATELY 0506Z THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A FINAL CLIMB TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET MSL AND A GROUNDSPEED OF 43 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DROPS BELOW RADAR AT APPROXIMATELY 0506Z. THE ESTIMATED TIME OF IMPACT WAS AROUND 0506Z. ALL OCCUPANTS INCLUDING 6 PASSENGERS AND 1 PILOT WERE FATALLY INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.