What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 19, 2015 at approximately 1542 hours local, aircraft N9318Q, a Beech bonanza F33A was on an instrument approach into the danbury minicple airport (dxr) when during the approach ATC reported that radar contact was lost with N9318Q.
N9318Q had departed mid-ohio valley regional airport, parkersburg, west Virginia (pkb) on an IFR clearance and was en-route to danbury airport (dxr). The weather conditions at dxr airport at the time of the acciednt was IMC with light rain.
ATC reported that at 1539 hours local N9318Q was 5 miles from the ?amore? Final approach fix for the localizer 8 approach into danbury municipal airport (dxr). At 1540 hour local N9318Q was assigned to fly a heading of 110 degrees and to maintain 3,000 feet until established. ATC then cleared N9318Q for the localizer runway 8 approach.
At 1541 hours local ATC advised N9318Q that radar services was terminated and to remain the present beacon code. Shortly thereafter, ATC then asked N9381Q if they were established. Radar data at approximately 1541 hours local indicated that N9318Q was on a 110 magnetic degree heading at 2800 feet MSL with an airspeed of 113 knots.
At 1541 hour local radr data further indicated that N9318Q entered a right turn towards a heading of west with a loss of altitude and an increase of airspeed to 157 knots. Radar data then indicated that N9318Q then started a climb with a decrease in airspeed to approaxcemalty 89 knots. N9318Q is then obsevered gaining altitude then descending again at an airspeed of 89 knots, while on a westerly heading. ATC then asked N9318Q if they are doing a 360 degree turn then if N9318Q can hear ATC. No reply received.
At 2042 hour local radar contact with N9318Q was lost. A search of the area was conducted by local law enforcement which included the area of the titicus reservoir located in North Salem, new york. An oil slick and aircraft debris was detected and recovered. Scuba divers conducted a search of the reservoir and they were able to identify and recover N9318Q. The aircraft was destroyed with the two occupants sustaining fatal injuries upon impact with the water.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 19, 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 1542 HOURS LOCAL, AIRCRAFT N9318Q, A BEECH BONANZA F33A WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH INTO THE DANBURY MINICPLE AIRPORT (DXR) WHEN DURING THE APPROACH ATC REPORTED THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST WITH N9318Q.
N9318Q HAD DEPARTED MID-OHIO VALLEY REGIONAL AIRPORT, PARKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA (PKB) ON AN IFR CLEARANCE AND WAS EN-ROUTE TO DANBURY AIRPORT (DXR). THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT DXR AIRPORT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIEDNT WAS IMC WITH LIGHT RAIN.
ATC REPORTED THAT AT 1539 HOURS LOCAL N9318Q WAS 5 MILES FROM THE ?AMORE? FINAL APPROACH FIX FOR THE LOCALIZER 8 APPROACH INTO DANBURY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (DXR). AT 1540 HOUR LOCAL N9318Q WAS ASSIGNED TO FLY A HEADING OF 110 DEGREES AND TO MAINTAIN 3,000 FEET UNTIL ESTABLISHED. ATC THEN CLEARED N9318Q FOR THE LOCALIZER RUNWAY 8 APPROACH.
AT 1541 HOURS LOCAL ATC ADVISED N9318Q THAT RADAR SERVICES WAS TERMINATED AND TO REMAIN THE PRESENT BEACON CODE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ATC THEN ASKED N9381Q IF THEY WERE ESTABLISHED. RADAR DATA AT APPROXIMATELY 1541 HOURS LOCAL INDICATED THAT N9318Q WAS ON A 110 MAGNETIC DEGREE HEADING AT 2800 FEET MSL WITH AN AIRSPEED OF 113 KNOTS.
AT 1541 HOUR LOCAL RADR DATA FURTHER INDICATED THAT N9318Q ENTERED A RIGHT TURN TOWARDS A HEADING OF WEST WITH A LOSS OF ALTITUDE AND AN INCREASE OF AIRSPEED TO 157 KNOTS. RADAR DATA THEN INDICATED THAT N9318Q THEN STARTED A CLIMB WITH A DECREASE IN AIRSPEED TO APPROAXCEMALTY 89 KNOTS. N9318Q IS THEN OBSEVERED GAINING ALTITUDE THEN DESCENDING AGAIN AT AN AIRSPEED OF 89 KNOTS, WHILE ON A WESTERLY HEADING. ATC THEN ASKED N9318Q IF THEY ARE DOING A 360 DEGREE TURN THEN IF N9318Q CAN HEAR ATC. NO REPLY RECEIVED.
AT 2042 HOUR LOCAL RADAR CONTACT WITH N9318Q WAS LOST. A SEARCH OF THE AREA WAS CONDUCTED BY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WHICH INCLUDED THE AREA OF THE TITICUS RESERVOIR LOCATED IN NORTH SALEM, NEW YORK. AN OIL SLICK AND AIRCRAFT DEBRIS WAS DETECTED AND RECOVERED. SCUBA DIVERS CONDUCTED A SEARCH OF THE RESERVOIR AND THEY WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND RECOVER N9318Q. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED WITH THE TWO OCCUPANTS SUSTAINING FATAL INJURIES UPON IMPACT WITH THE WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.