What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On local training flight, crashed. (.4) the certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were practicing landings on a dark moonless night, when the airplane struck 80 foot high trees, 2,157 feet from the approach end of the runway. Examination of the airplane and engine did not disclose any evidence of mechanical malfunction. The visual approach slope indicator (VASI) for the runway was inspected after the accident; the VASI was determined to have provided a clearance of 96.51 feet above the trees at the accident site. The airport manager stated that the CFI had completed an instrument flight instructor check ride about 30 days before the accident. According to a pilot information form dated 17 months before the accident, the CFI had reported over 632 hours of airplane experience, which included 85 hours in make and model. This was the student's first night flight.
As the FAA filed it
ON LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT, CRASHED. (.4) THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND STUDENT PILOT WERE PRACTICING LANDINGS ON A DARK MOONLESS NIGHT, WHEN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK 80 FOOT HIGH TREES, 2,157 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE VISUAL APPROACH SLOPE INDICATOR (VASI) FOR THE RUNWAY WAS INSPECTED AFTER THE ACCIDENT; THE VASI WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE PROVIDED A CLEARANCE OF 96.51 FEET ABOVE THE TREES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE AIRPORT MANAGER STATED THAT THE CFI HAD COMPLETED AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CHECK RIDE ABOUT 30 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO A PILOT INFORMATION FORM DATED 17 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE CFI HAD REPORTED OVER 632 HOURS OF AIRPLANE EXPERIENCE, WHICH INCLUDED 85 HOURS IN MAKE AND MODEL. THIS WAS THE STUDENT'S FIRST NIGHT 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.