What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While descending for approach to bellingham airport (bli), aircraft struck mountain top trees then terrain on downward slope of mountain. The aircraft sustained structural disintegration.
The pilot had contacted bli air traffic control tower and reported his position about 14 miles south of the airport. Bli tower control issued clearance for a VFR approach to runway 34 and requested a radio report at 3 miles. There were no further radio contacts from the pilot.
Radar data placed the last recorded position at 9 miles south of the airport. It indicated that the aircraft was travelling at an altitude of 1,975 feet and groundspeed of 146 knots on a course of 336 degrees. The aircraft had descended at a slow rate of between 300 and 600 fpm from a cruise altitude of 4,300 ft.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE DESCENDING FOR APPROACH TO BELLINGHAM AIRPORT (BLI), AIRCRAFT STRUCK MOUNTAIN TOP TREES THEN TERRAIN ON DOWNWARD SLOPE OF MOUNTAIN. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DISINTEGRATION.
THE PILOT HAD CONTACTED BLI AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER AND REPORTED HIS POSITION ABOUT 14 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. BLI TOWER CONTROL ISSUED CLEARANCE FOR A VFR APPROACH TO RUNWAY 34 AND REQUESTED A RADIO REPORT AT 3 MILES. THERE WERE NO FURTHER RADIO CONTACTS FROM THE PILOT.
RADAR DATA PLACED THE LAST RECORDED POSITION AT 9 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. IT INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRAVELLING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1,975 FEET AND GROUNDSPEED OF 146 KNOTS ON A COURSE OF 336 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT HAD DESCENDED AT A SLOW RATE OF BETWEEN 300 AND 600 FPM FROM A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 4,300 FT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.