What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft departed bird 2 (pvt) airfield bound for minot, ND. The aircraft departed the airport southbound and made a climbing left hand turn eastbound towards Hope, ID. The aircraft proceeded up a box canyon and began striking trees approximately 300 feet from the top of the ridge (5250FT).
The first portion of the aircraft in the debris field was the right hand out board section of the horizontal stabilizer, which was 156 feet from the main wreckage. Second was the nose tire and strut assembly, which was 80 feet from the main wreckage. The third portion was the right hand wing, which was 20 feet from the main wreckage. The wing sheared off from the fuselage and was severely damaged from tree impact and post-crash fire. The fuselage and left hand wing came to rest in an upright position and was severely damaged by the post-crash fire. The fuselage from the fire wall to 2 feet aft of the baggage compartment was destroyed by the post-crash fire. All 3 engine controls were in the forward position. The propeller showed evidence of being under power during the accident.
The weather was reported that morning from sandpoint airport (stz). It is 9.25 miles west from the departure airport (bird 2) and 14 miles west from the accident site. It was overcast at 3200 feet and 10 miles of visibility.
This report may be amended at a future date due to a scheduled engine examination.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BIRD 2 (PVT) AIRFIELD BOUND FOR MINOT, ND. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT SOUTHBOUND AND MADE A CLIMBING LEFT HAND TURN EASTBOUND TOWARDS HOPE, ID. THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED UP A BOX CANYON AND BEGAN STRIKING TREES APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET FROM THE TOP OF THE RIDGE (5250FT).
THE FIRST PORTION OF THE AIRCRAFT IN THE DEBRIS FIELD WAS THE RIGHT HAND OUT BOARD SECTION OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, WHICH WAS 156 FEET FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. SECOND WAS THE NOSE TIRE AND STRUT ASSEMBLY, WHICH WAS 80 FEET FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE THIRD PORTION WAS THE RIGHT HAND WING, WHICH WAS 20 FEET FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE WING SHEARED OFF FROM THE FUSELAGE AND WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED FROM TREE IMPACT AND POST-CRASH FIRE. THE FUSELAGE AND LEFT HAND WING CAME TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION AND WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BY THE POST-CRASH FIRE. THE FUSELAGE FROM THE FIRE WALL TO 2 FEET AFT OF THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT WAS DESTROYED BY THE POST-CRASH FIRE. ALL 3 ENGINE CONTROLS WERE IN THE FORWARD POSITION. THE PROPELLER SHOWED EVIDENCE OF BEING UNDER POWER DURING THE ACCIDENT.
THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED THAT MORNING FROM SANDPOINT AIRPORT (STZ). IT IS 9.25 MILES WEST FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT (BIRD 2) AND 14 MILES WEST FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. IT WAS OVERCAST AT 3200 FEET AND 10 MILES OF VISIBILITY.
THIS REPORT MAY BE AMENDED AT A FUTURE DATE DUE TO A SCHEDULED ENGINE EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.