What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 25, 2016, about 1300 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, N43576, was destroyed after a collision with trees, terrain and post-crash fire in Boone, north carolina. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were seriously injured. The rear seat passenger was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the part 91 flight. The airplane was originating at the time of the accident from Boone inc. airport (NC14), Boone, north carolina.
According to a witness at the approach end of runway 31, he stated that the airplane was approaching at a high rate of speed prior to landing. He went on to say that he did not see the airplane touchdown, but shortly after he saw a plume of smoke on a golf course. Another witness that was in a house on a hill on the right side of the departure end of runway 31, stated that when they saw the airplane, the left wing was low and it collided with a pine tree. They said that the airplane seemed as if it was attempting to gain altitude but collided with another pine tree before descending and collided with the golf course. Witnesses on the golf course reported that they watched the airplane climbout; they went on to say that the airplane was ?bobbling? Up and down before hitting the top of a stand of pine trees. The airplane nosed down and collided of the golf course before bursting into flames.
Pilot flight log was destroyed in fire.
Pilot times are estimated off of pilot total time at last medical examination and aircraft maintenance records
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 25, 2016, ABOUT 1300 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-32-300, N43576, WAS DESTROYED AFTER A COLLISION WITH TREES, TERRAIN AND POST-CRASH FIRE IN BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA. THE PILOT AND PILOT-RATED PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE REAR SEAT PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PART 91 FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT FROM BOONE INC. AIRPORT (NC14), BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA.
ACCORDING TO A WITNESS AT THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 31, HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROACHING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED PRIOR TO LANDING. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE AIRPLANE TOUCHDOWN, BUT SHORTLY AFTER HE SAW A PLUME OF SMOKE ON A GOLF COURSE. ANOTHER WITNESS THAT WAS IN A HOUSE ON A HILL ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 31, STATED THAT WHEN THEY SAW THE AIRPLANE, THE LEFT WING WAS LOW AND IT COLLIDED WITH A PINE TREE. THEY SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE SEEMED AS IF IT WAS ATTEMPTING TO GAIN ALTITUDE BUT COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER PINE TREE BEFORE DESCENDING AND COLLIDED WITH THE GOLF COURSE. WITNESSES ON THE GOLF COURSE REPORTED THAT THEY WATCHED THE AIRPLANE CLIMBOUT; THEY WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ?BOBBLING? UP AND DOWN BEFORE HITTING THE TOP OF A STAND OF PINE TREES. THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN AND COLLIDED OF THE GOLF COURSE BEFORE BURSTING INTO FLAMES.
PILOT FLIGHT LOG WAS DESTROYED IN FIRE.
PILOT TIMES ARE ESTIMATED OFF OF PILOT TOTAL TIME AT LAST MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.