What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Observed erratic low level buzzing. Hit trees. Pilot reported lost elevator. Empannage had bogus parts not specs. (-23) history of flight: on Saturday, July 27, 1996, at approximately 1215 central standard time, an amateur built hatz biplane, model number CB-1, N485D, impacted onto state route 46, seven miles west of boerne Texas, while performing a homebuilt familiarity local flight. An occupant sitting in the forward seat received fatal injuries while the aircraft owner/pilot sustained serious burn injuries and the aircraft was destroyed by damage and fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for this personal flight.
As the FAA filed it
OBSERVED ERRATIC LOW LEVEL BUZZING. HIT TREES. PILOT REPORTED LOST ELEVATOR. EMPANNAGE HAD BOGUS PARTS NOT SPECS. (-23) HISTORY OF FLIGHT: ON SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1996, AT APPROXIMATELY 1215 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, AN AMATEUR BUILT HATZ BIPLANE, MODEL NUMBER CB-1, N485D, IMPACTED ONTO STATE ROUTE 46, SEVEN MILES WEST OF BOERNE TEXAS, WHILE PERFORMING A HOMEBUILT FAMILIARITY LOCAL FLIGHT. AN OCCUPANT SITTING IN THE FORWARD SEAT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES WHILE THE AIRCRAFT OWNER/PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS BURN INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY DAMAGE AND FIRE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THIS PERSONAL FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.