What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Crashed into highway median. (.4)the airplane crashed in an area that corresponded to the base leg of the traffic pattern to an uncontrolled airport. Three witness, who observed the airplane just before impact, said that it was at low altitude with slow airspeed, when it entered a steep descent and crashed. None of the three witnesses heard the sound of the engine, although all three were in vehicles when the accident occurred. Both the pilot and the passenger were fatally injured during the accident. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact anomalies with the airplane. Examination of the propeller revealed evidence of rotational damage during impact. According to a medical examiner, the pilot 'had significant heart disease, suggestive of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which can be associated with sudden death.' (-23) witness say aircraft was low in pattern, dove straight down turning base/final approach rnwy 9 with slight roll to rt. Aircraft struck ground 70 degrees nose down sse hdg (130 degrees) in median of us 27 with rt wing tip on shoulder of southbound lane, 1/4 mi short of runway 9 at mop.
As the FAA filed it
CRASHED INTO HIGHWAY MEDIAN. (.4)THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN AN AREA THAT CORRESPONDED TO THE BASE LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. THREE WITNESS, WHO OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE JUST BEFORE IMPACT, SAID THAT IT WAS AT LOW ALTITUDE WITH SLOW AIRSPEED, WHEN IT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT AND CRASHED. NONE OF THE THREE WITNESSES HEARD THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE, ALTHOUGH ALL THREE WERE IN VEHICLES WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. BOTH THE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED DURING THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER REVEALED EVIDENCE OF ROTATIONAL DAMAGE DURING IMPACT. ACCORDING TO A MEDICAL EXAMINER, THE PILOT 'HAD SIGNIFICANT HEART DISEASE, SUGGESTIVE OF HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY, WHICH CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH SUDDEN DEATH.' (-23) WITNESS SAY AIRCRAFT WAS LOW IN PATTERN, DOVE STRAIGHT DOWN TURNING BASE/FINAL APPROACH RNWY 9 WITH SLIGHT ROLL TO RT. AIRCRAFT STRUCK GROUND 70 DEGREES NOSE DOWN SSE HDG (130 DEGREES) IN MEDIAN OF US 27 WITH RT WING TIP ON SHOULDER OF SOUTHBOUND LANE, 1/4 MI SHORT OF RUNWAY 9 AT MOP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.