What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot of the home-built Wheeler Express experimental aircraft N246TM was on his way to view the total eclipse at Madras Oregon. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an instrument rating.
According to a controller statement N246TM experimental checked in around cove inbound. The controller instructed N246TM (6TM) to proceed to a 3-mile final for runway 34. The controller also instructed another aircraft to proceed to a 3-mile final for runway 34 to follow the experimental aircraft. Several minutes went by when the controller asked 6TM for a position
Report. 6TM reported about 3 miles left base for runway 34. The controller responded, not in sight and cleared 6TM to land runway 34. When the controller was scanning the runway and airdrome he noticed a large black cloud of smoke rising from the ground south of runway 34. The controller attempted to contact 6TM with no response. At that time the crash truck code was activated and responded to. Regional operation?s control was notified and 911 was called. The controller reported experimental N246TM crashed 1 mile southwest of the Madras Municipal Airport.
A statement posted by the jefferson county officials in Oregon stated that the aircraft was fully engulfed in flames when the first responders arrived on the scene, near the top of willow creek canyon about a mile from the Madras Municipal Airport. A small fire was started by the crash but quickly extinguished. The plane was completely destroyed. The aircraft accident preliminary notice contained weather data as clear skies and number of passengers as one fatality.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT OF THE HOME-BUILT WHEELER EXPRESS EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT N246TM WAS ON HIS WAY TO VIEW THE TOTAL ECLIPSE AT MADRAS OREGON. THE PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH AN INSTRUMENT RATING.
ACCORDING TO A CONTROLLER STATEMENT N246TM EXPERIMENTAL CHECKED IN AROUND COVE INBOUND. THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED N246TM (6TM) TO PROCEED TO A 3-MILE FINAL FOR RUNWAY 34. THE CONTROLLER ALSO INSTRUCTED ANOTHER AIRCRAFT TO PROCEED TO A 3-MILE FINAL FOR RUNWAY 34 TO FOLLOW THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT. SEVERAL MINUTES WENT BY WHEN THE CONTROLLER ASKED 6TM FOR A POSITION
REPORT. 6TM REPORTED ABOUT 3 MILES LEFT BASE FOR RUNWAY 34. THE CONTROLLER RESPONDED, NOT IN SIGHT AND CLEARED 6TM TO LAND RUNWAY 34. WHEN THE CONTROLLER WAS SCANNING THE RUNWAY AND AIRDROME HE NOTICED A LARGE BLACK CLOUD OF SMOKE RISING FROM THE GROUND SOUTH OF RUNWAY 34. THE CONTROLLER ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT 6TM WITH NO RESPONSE. AT THAT TIME THE CRASH TRUCK CODE WAS ACTIVATED AND RESPONDED TO. REGIONAL OPERATION?S CONTROL WAS NOTIFIED AND 911 WAS CALLED. THE CONTROLLER REPORTED EXPERIMENTAL N246TM CRASHED 1 MILE SOUTHWEST OF THE MADRAS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.
A STATEMENT POSTED BY THE JEFFERSON COUNTY OFFICIALS IN OREGON STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES WHEN THE FIRST RESPONDERS ARRIVED ON THE SCENE, NEAR THE TOP OF WILLOW CREEK CANYON ABOUT A MILE FROM THE MADRAS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. A SMALL FIRE WAS STARTED BY THE CRASH BUT QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED. THE PLANE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT PRELIMINARY NOTICE CONTAINED WEATHER DATA AS CLEAR SKIES AND NUMBER OF PASSENGERS AS ONE FATALITY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.