What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Saturday, July 10, 2021AT approximately 12:55 Arizona standard time (ast), N3688P, a Beech BE-90-C90 aircraft that was under contract with the us forestry service (usfs) and under operational contract control with the bureau of land management (blm) providing command and control for other firefighting aircraft in the area of the cedar basin fire. The aircraft impacted mountainous terrain while on an air tactical mission for the cedar basin fire. The main wreckage was located on the north face of a 4,580? High mountain approximately 50? From the top. The main site debris path extended for 576? On a 107º mh. The left wing separated the aircraft outboard of the nacelle at approximately WS99.61 and was located 0.79 sm northeast of the main site. Portions of the aircraft were mostly consumed by a post impact fire. The left wing fractures were retained and will be send to the NTSB lab for a detail examination. There were two souls on-board that have been confirmed fatal. No persons on the ground were affected. The current weather around the time of the incident was reported near prescott airport were the winds at 120 degrees and around 5 knots with 10 statute miles of visibility clear of clouds with a temperature around 37 degrees celsius and a dew point of 6 degrees with an altimeter reading of 30.13 inches of mercury. Currently an ongoing investigation is taking place and a structural team is being established to include NTSB, FAA, dept. Of interior, usfs, blm, and aircraft manufacturers to assess the structural engineer loads of the damaged wing areas. Upon its assessment may fuel further investigations into the other companies and personnel. If not needed then recommendations will be made based on the safety of the flying public to make recommendations to mitigate current hazards.
As the FAA filed it
ON SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2021AT APPROXIMATELY 12:55 ARIZONA STANDARD TIME (AST), N3688P, A BEECH BE-90-C90 AIRCRAFT THAT WAS UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE US FORESTRY SERVICE (USFS) AND UNDER OPERATIONAL CONTRACT CONTROL WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) PROVIDING COMMAND AND CONTROL FOR OTHER FIREFIGHTING AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA OF THE CEDAR BASIN FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHILE ON AN AIR TACTICAL MISSION FOR THE CEDAR BASIN FIRE. THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ON THE NORTH FACE OF A 4,580? HIGH MOUNTAIN APPROXIMATELY 50? FROM THE TOP. THE MAIN SITE DEBRIS PATH EXTENDED FOR 576? ON A 107º MH. THE LEFT WING SEPARATED THE AIRCRAFT OUTBOARD OF THE NACELLE AT APPROXIMATELY WS99.61 AND WAS LOCATED 0.79 SM NORTHEAST OF THE MAIN SITE. PORTIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE MOSTLY CONSUMED BY A POST IMPACT FIRE. THE LEFT WING FRACTURES WERE RETAINED AND WILL BE SEND TO THE NTSB LAB FOR A DETAIL EXAMINATION. THERE WERE TWO SOULS ON-BOARD THAT HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED FATAL. NO PERSONS ON THE GROUND WERE AFFECTED. THE CURRENT WEATHER AROUND THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS REPORTED NEAR PRESCOTT AIRPORT WERE THE WINDS AT 120 DEGREES AND AROUND 5 KNOTS WITH 10 STATUTE MILES OF VISIBILITY CLEAR OF CLOUDS WITH A TEMPERATURE AROUND 37 DEGREES CELSIUS AND A DEW POINT OF 6 DEGREES WITH AN ALTIMETER READING OF 30.13 INCHES OF MERCURY. CURRENTLY AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION IS TAKING PLACE AND A STRUCTURAL TEAM IS BEING ESTABLISHED TO INCLUDE NTSB, FAA, DEPT. OF INTERIOR, USFS, BLM, AND AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS TO ASSESS THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER LOADS OF THE DAMAGED WING AREAS. UPON ITS ASSESSMENT MAY FUEL FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE OTHER COMPANIES AND PERSONNEL. IF NOT NEEDED THEN RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE MADE BASED ON THE SAFETY OF THE FLYING PUBLIC TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MITIGATE CURRENT HAZARDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.