This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On June 16, 2001, about 0945 central daylight time, a Fouga CM 170, N301FM, piloted by an airline transport pilot, was destroyed on impact with terrain and post impact fire following an in-flight separation of control surfaces while in runway 21's pattern at La Crosse Municipal Airport (LSE), near La Crosse, Wisconsin. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot and rear seat passenger were fatally injured. The local flight originated from LSE about 0930, and was on the upwind portion of runway 21's pattern at the time of the accident.

An on-scene investigation was conducted. The fuselage and right wing were found 817 feet from the departure end of runway 21. The left wing was detached from the fuselage and was found about 30 feet east of runway 21 at runway 21's intersection with runway 18. The left engine exhibited reverse bending of its compressor blades. The right engine exhibited scoring on its case along the plane of the turbine rotors. The airplane's tip tanks were found detached from their wing tips.

At 0953, the LSE weather was: Wind variable at 3 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 21 degrees C; dew point 12 degrees C; altimeter 30.04 inches of mercury.

Material from the tip tanks and material from the left spar were forwarded to the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials Laboratory for examination.