At 1545 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain during an approach to landing. The Commercial pilot/owner and the passenger were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed; an IFR flight plan had been filed. At 1542, the pilot contacted the Potomac Tracon and requested clearance. The controller informed the pilot he was violating the Washington Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), that he needed to land immediately and that he would provide him with a telephone number in a moment. The pilot responded that he would land at Tipton Airport immediately. About 10 seconds later the controller stated that he was too busy, that the pilot should turn off his transponder, land and call for clearance. The pilot responded, “roger,” and no further communications were received. A witness saw the accident airplane in the traffic pattern on the left downwind leg, traveling “very fast” and closer to the airport than normal. The engine was “very loud.” The airplane then turned “very steeply” to the left, and was “almost vertical” to the point where he could see the tops of both of the airplanes wings. While in the steep turn, the airplane began descending. The airplane continued in the descending turn, and reached the final leg of the traffic pattern, but had “overshot” the runway and was lined up with “the ramp or the taxiway.” The airplane was still in a steep left bank and descending when the witness lost sight of it behind trees.
