What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 4, 2026, at about 2000 local time, privacy data omitted crashed while turning to approach for landing at Prescott Arizona (prc). The Socata TBN21 aircraft had one person on board (pilot), who was fatally injured in the crash.
The accident investigation included a review of ADS-B flight information as well as the review of the audio file conversation between the pilot and air traffic control (ATC). The last transmission from ATC was clearance to land on runway 21L, there was no further communication, and ATC lost the aircraft on radar. ADS-B data showed the last location of the aircraft to be approximately 3 miles northeast of the airport, at an altitude of 4900 feet asl. The altitude at prc is 5045 feet MSL. The terrain approaching the airport from the northeast consists of rolling hills, most of which exceed the elevation of the airport. From the site of the crash, the airport could not be seen visually due to the elevation of the surrounding hills.
FAA inspectors arrived at the accident site on February 5, at approximately 08:30 (local). Inspection of the crash site indicated a low angle, high speed impact with the terrain. A very large debris field extending nearly 400 feet from the initial impact is consistent with a low angle, high speed impact. Damage assessment of the aircraft determined it to be destroyed. Photos were taken at the sight to document the evidence trail of key components and their location relative to the debris field and the main wreckage.
After reviewing all data and inspection of the crash site, it is believed that the pilot was flying in the dark, at an elevation too low for the terrain, and turned left into the hills, causing his left wing tip to contact the ground.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 4, 2026, AT ABOUT 2000 LOCAL TIME, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CRASHED WHILE TURNING TO APPROACH FOR LANDING AT PRESCOTT ARIZONA (PRC). THE SOCATA TBN21 AIRCRAFT HAD ONE PERSON ON BOARD (PILOT), WHO WAS FATALLY INJURED IN THE CRASH.
THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION INCLUDED A REVIEW OF ADS-B FLIGHT INFORMATION AS WELL AS THE REVIEW OF THE AUDIO FILE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE PILOT AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC). THE LAST TRANSMISSION FROM ATC WAS CLEARANCE TO LAND ON RUNWAY 21L, THERE WAS NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION, AND ATC LOST THE AIRCRAFT ON RADAR. ADS-B DATA SHOWED THE LAST LOCATION OF THE AIRCRAFT TO BE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 4900 FEET ASL. THE ALTITUDE AT PRC IS 5045 FEET MSL. THE TERRAIN APPROACHING THE AIRPORT FROM THE NORTHEAST CONSISTS OF ROLLING HILLS, MOST OF WHICH EXCEED THE ELEVATION OF THE AIRPORT. FROM THE SITE OF THE CRASH, THE AIRPORT COULD NOT BE SEEN VISUALLY DUE TO THE ELEVATION OF THE SURROUNDING HILLS.
FAA INSPECTORS ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE ON FEBRUARY 5, AT APPROXIMATELY 08:30 (LOCAL). INSPECTION OF THE CRASH SITE INDICATED A LOW ANGLE, HIGH SPEED IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. A VERY LARGE DEBRIS FIELD EXTENDING NEARLY 400 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT IS CONSISTENT WITH A LOW ANGLE, HIGH SPEED IMPACT. DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT DETERMINED IT TO BE DESTROYED. PHOTOS WERE TAKEN AT THE SIGHT TO DOCUMENT THE EVIDENCE TRAIL OF KEY COMPONENTS AND THEIR LOCATION RELATIVE TO THE DEBRIS FIELD AND THE MAIN WRECKAGE.
AFTER REVIEWING ALL DATA AND INSPECTION OF THE CRASH SITE, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE PILOT WAS FLYING IN THE DARK, AT AN ELEVATION TOO LOW FOR THE TERRAIN, AND TURNED LEFT INTO THE HILLS, CAUSING HIS LEFT WING TIP TO CONTACT THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.