What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 1, 2016, at 1629 central standard time, a Cessna 340, N123KK, impacted terrain
About 10 miles south of hector international airport (FAR), Fargo, north dakota. The pilot,
The sole occupant on board, was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was
Registered to and operated by weather modification, LLC, Fargo, under the provisions of 14
Code of federal regulations part 91 as a business flight. Visual meteorological conditions
Prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been
Filed. The local flight originated from FAR about 1430.
Under contract with the national oceanic and atmospheric administration (noaa), the pilot
Had taken air samples at various altitudes over carrington, north dakota, and was returning to
FAR when the accident occurred. The pilot was being vectored towards but overshot the
Runway 36 localizer. Shortly thereafter, the pilot reported an onboard fire. The airplane, which
Was at 1,700 feet, lost altitude rapidly and radar contact was lost.
Examination of the accident site revealed evidence consistent with the airplane striking the
Ground at a high velocity-low angle of impact in a left wing slightly low attitude. There was a
Ground fire after impact
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 1, 2016, AT 1629 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 340, N123KK, IMPACTED TERRAIN
ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF HECTOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (FAR), FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA. THE PILOT,
THE SOLE OCCUPANT ON BOARD, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE AIRPLANE WAS
REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY WEATHER MODIFICATION, LLC, FARGO, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A BUSINESS FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS
PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN
FILED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM FAR ABOUT 1430.
UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA), THE PILOT
HAD TAKEN AIR SAMPLES AT VARIOUS ALTITUDES OVER CARRINGTON, NORTH DAKOTA, AND WAS RETURNING TO
FAR WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PILOT WAS BEING VECTORED TOWARDS BUT OVERSHOT THE
RUNWAY 36 LOCALIZER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT REPORTED AN ONBOARD FIRE. THE AIRPLANE, WHICH
WAS AT 1,700 FEET, LOST ALTITUDE RAPIDLY AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST.
EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED EVIDENCE CONSISTENT WITH THE AIRPLANE STRIKING THE
GROUND AT A HIGH VELOCITY-LOW ANGLE OF IMPACT IN A LEFT WING SLIGHTLY LOW ATTITUDE. THERE WAS A
GROUND FIRE AFTER IMPACT
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N123KK · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.