What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 28, 2021 at approximately 14:45, the western regional operations center contacted the seattle flight standards office with information on an aircraft N40KA, a 1993 Mooney M20M serial number 27-0171. The western regional operations center issued a preliminary report that included that the aircraft last departure point was kawo (arlington, WA.) With the intended destination of ktwf (Idaho falls, ID.). In that report, it stated that N40KA was flying under instrument flight rules and switched from seattle approach to seattle ARTCC. Air traffic control informed the pilot of several different icing pilot weather reports (pireps) reported from airliners that flew through the area. Air traffic control also issued headings and an altitude in an attempt to remain clear of the icing. The airplane climbed to 16,300 feet, then began a rapid descent to 11,300 feet with erratic turns. The airplane was approximately 30 miles northeast of the seattle-tacoma international airport (sea) and descended through 5,400 feet when a simultaneous loss of radar and communication occurred shortly after 0910. The aircraft was located approximately 10 miles northeast of North Bend, WA. Where it was determined that there were no survivors. The wreckage observed at the accident site had shown that the aircraft impacted the ground at a high speed at almost a vertical angle. Photographs were taken of the aircraft at the accident scene. It was determined later by the coroner?s office that only one occupant was in the aircraft and it was the pilot in command. A review of the meteorological conditions that existed the day of the accident revealed instrument meteorological conditions. Airmen?s meteorological information (AIRMET z) was active for light to moderate rime icing, and clear ice conditions. Pireps confirmed the icing conditions and low-level turbulence near the accident site.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 28, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 14:45, THE WESTERN REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER CONTACTED THE SEATTLE FLIGHT STANDARDS OFFICE WITH INFORMATION ON AN AIRCRAFT N40KA, A 1993 MOONEY M20M SERIAL NUMBER 27-0171. THE WESTERN REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER ISSUED A PRELIMINARY REPORT THAT INCLUDED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LAST DEPARTURE POINT WAS KAWO (ARLINGTON, WA.) WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF KTWF (IDAHO FALLS, ID.). IN THAT REPORT, IT STATED THAT N40KA WAS FLYING UNDER INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES AND SWITCHED FROM SEATTLE APPROACH TO SEATTLE ARTCC. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL INFORMED THE PILOT OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT ICING PILOT WEATHER REPORTS (PIREPS) REPORTED FROM AIRLINERS THAT FLEW THROUGH THE AREA. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ALSO ISSUED HEADINGS AND AN ALTITUDE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE ICING. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO 16,300 FEET, THEN BEGAN A RAPID DESCENT TO 11,300 FEET WITH ERRATIC TURNS. THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE SEATTLE-TACOMA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SEA) AND DESCENDED THROUGH 5,400 FEET WHEN A SIMULTANEOUS LOSS OF RADAR AND COMMUNICATION OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER 0910. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF NORTH BEND, WA. WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE NO SURVIVORS. THE WRECKAGE OBSERVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE HAD SHOWN THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A HIGH SPEED AT ALMOST A VERTICAL ANGLE. PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. IT WAS DETERMINED LATER BY THE CORONER?S OFFICE THAT ONLY ONE OCCUPANT WAS IN THE AIRCRAFT AND IT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND. A REVIEW OF THE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT REVEALED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. AIRMEN?S METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION (AIRMET Z) WAS ACTIVE FOR LIGHT TO MODERATE RIME ICING, AND CLEAR ICE CONDITIONS. PIREPS CONFIRMED THE ICING CONDITIONS AND LOW-LEVEL TURBULENCE NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.