What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After a short flight from upstate SC airport gmu in greenville, SC (gmu) instrument rated private pilot attempted approach to runway 13 at Columbia, SC downtown airport, (cub). After declaring missed approach on cae approach frequency, getting ammended missed approach instructions, and asking for current weather conditions at cae airport, radio and radar contact was lost between ATC and N266DC. Radar track shows he initiated a left turn at approx 600 feet heading roughly north from the 130 heading. On site investigation reveal that about 4000 feet northwest of the approach end of runway 13 at cub, the aircraft impacted trees, the corner of a house, then the ground at high speed on a heading of about 330 degrees. Subsequent fire consumed much of the aircraft at main location, but aircraft parts were found scattered in several yards. Eye witness account stated the aircraft emerged from the clouds/fog in a wings level attitude, but abruptly turned hard left to a wings vertical attitude just prior to impacting the trees, then the house and ground. Witness stated the aircraft then expoded, and burned. After missed approach airman turned to ATC assigned missed approach heading but failed to ascend resulting in impact with trees and subsequent accident.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER A SHORT FLIGHT FROM UPSTATE SC AIRPORT GMU IN GREENVILLE, SC (GMU) INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED APPROACH TO RUNWAY 13 AT COLUMBIA, SC DOWNTOWN AIRPORT, (CUB). AFTER DECLARING MISSED APPROACH ON CAE APPROACH FREQUENCY, GETTING AMMENDED MISSED APPROACH INSTRUCTIONS, AND ASKING FOR CURRENT WEATHER CONDITIONS AT CAE AIRPORT, RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST BETWEEN ATC AND N266DC. RADAR TRACK SHOWS HE INITIATED A LEFT TURN AT APPROX 600 FEET HEADING ROUGHLY NORTH FROM THE 130 HEADING. ON SITE INVESTIGATION REVEAL THAT ABOUT 4000 FEET NORTHWEST OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 13 AT CUB, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES, THE CORNER OF A HOUSE, THEN THE GROUND AT HIGH SPEED ON A HEADING OF ABOUT 330 DEGREES. SUBSEQUENT FIRE CONSUMED MUCH OF THE AIRCRAFT AT MAIN LOCATION, BUT AIRCRAFT PARTS WERE FOUND SCATTERED IN SEVERAL YARDS. EYE WITNESS ACCOUNT STATED THE AIRCRAFT EMERGED FROM THE CLOUDS/FOG IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE, BUT ABRUPTLY TURNED HARD LEFT TO A WINGS VERTICAL ATTITUDE JUST PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TREES, THEN THE HOUSE AND GROUND. WITNESS STATED THE AIRCRAFT THEN EXPODED, AND BURNED. AFTER MISSED APPROACH AIRMAN TURNED TO ATC ASSIGNED MISSED APPROACH HEADING BUT FAILED TO ASCEND RESULTING IN IMPACT WITH TREES AND SUBSEQUENT ACCIDENT.
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 N266DC · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.