Terrance Robert Dolan departed Naples Municipal Airport March 29 intending to fly to the Anoka County/Blaine Airport in Blaine, Minnesota. On approach, he contacted the Blaine airport, reported he was inbound and repeated the airport's clearance information.
According to the preliminary report just filed by the National Transportation Safety Board, that was the last transmission from Dolan. Four minutes after that last transmission the Blaine tower tried to contact Dolan and issue him a low altitude alert and again at 3 minutes, both times with no response, the NTSB report said.
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Dolan's airplane had stopped earlier at Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, according to the report, and the airplane was refueled to full fuel capacity.
The NTSB report said that at about five miles from the Blaine runway threshold, beyond the final approach fix, the airplane's air speed and descent rate rapidly increased, accompanied by a left turn. The airplane struck trees and then impacted a residential home, where it came to rest. A fire ensued, destroying both the home and the remains of the plane.
Dolan, 63, perished in the crash.
A residential doorbell camera near the accident site captured video footage of the airplane shortly before the accident. The airplane was in a steep descent with the nose of the airplane pointed down and the airplane rotating about its longitudinal axis.
No mechanical anomalies were found with the airframe or engine during the onsite examination or wreckage layout. The NTSB report said damage to the airplane was consistent with impact forces and postimpact fire.
The main wreckage of the airplane was located in the basement of the home and was covered in debris from the surrounding structure.
Broken tree limbs were observed about 100 feet southeast of the main wreckage. The tree limbs were observed to have angular cuts consistent with propeller strikes.
Fragments of the left wing were found suspended in the trees and on the ground below the broken tree limbs. Separated portions of the airplane were found on the property of the residential home where the airplane came to rest and on the adjacent properties.
The airplane was recovered from the accident site and transported to a secure location for further examination.
Dolan's craft was a SOCATA TBM 700 registered to DGW Enterprises of Edina, Minn. The craft can carry up to six passengers.
Web-based flight-tracking information shows the single turbo-prop plane departed Naples Airport at 7:30 a.m. March 29 en route to Des Moines, Iowa.
The plane left Des Moines at 11:12 a.m. bound for Anoka County-Blaine Airport just north of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The crash occurred shortly before 12:30 p.m.
There were several pilot reports issued at the time of the accident for light rime icing. Rime ice forms when small, supercooled water droplets (liquid water below freezing) freeze rapidly upon impact with a surface, typically in conditions of freezing fog or cold, wet air.
Weather accounts also reported sleet conditions at the time of the crash.
According to the preliminary NTSB report, an Aviation Weather Center icing probability chart indicated that at 12:30, the icing probability at 3,000 feet above mean sea level was at or above 50-60% in the area over the accident flight path and that a Graphical Airmen’s Meteorological Information for moderate icing and instrument flight rule conditions were active.
A final NTSB report on the crash could come within a year or so.
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