What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The airplane was observed beginning the takeoff roll on runway 26 (elevation 6,201 ft, density altitude 7,000 ft) with winds from the wnw at 10 knots gusting to 25 knots with moderate turbulence. The next morning, an instructor spotted the accident site 1/2 mile south of the airport. The airplane came to rest in a nose low attitude with the empennage folded and twisted to the right. No preimpact discrepancies were found that would have precluded engine and propeller operation. The elevator bellcrank was partially fractured and the elevator was jammed in the full down position. NTSB metallurgists reported that the bellcrank showed only signs of overstress and no signs of fatigue. The pilot had 4.5 hrs in this make and model. The pilot's toxicological findings were: 0.293 ug/ml fluoxetine (prescription antidepressant) and 0.333 ug/ml norfluoxetine (fluoxetine metabolite) in blood, nordiazepam in blood and urine, and oxazepam and temazepam in urine. Nordiazepam, oxazepam and temazepam are metabolites of diazepam (valium). None of the drugs are approved by the FAA for use while flying. (-23) aircraft fueled at 0E0 approx. 16:00 MST - 02/03/97. Takeoff shortly thereafter. Wreckage sighted next day at approx 11:30 am. Aircraft struck ground in extreme nose down attitude. Examination of wreckage revealed no abnormalities to/with aircraft systems (I.a. flight controls, powerplant, magnetos, prop, engine controls, trim, etc.). Aircraft records, registration, airworthiness certificate missing. Pilot information (total hours, etc.) Unavailable. Aircraft departed runway 26. Wreckage located approx 1/2 mile due south (nearly mid runway) pointing at approx 195 degrees. All indications point to a stall/spin situation.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED BEGINNING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 26 (ELEVATION 6,201 FT, DENSITY ALTITUDE 7,000 FT) WITH WINDS FROM THE WNW AT 10 KNOTS GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS WITH MODERATE TURBULENCE. THE NEXT MORNING, AN INSTRUCTOR SPOTTED THE ACCIDENT SITE 1/2 MILE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE WITH THE EMPENNAGE FOLDED AND TWISTED TO THE RIGHT. NO PREIMPACT DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED ENGINE AND PROPELLER OPERATION. THE ELEVATOR BELLCRANK WAS PARTIALLY FRACTURED AND THE ELEVATOR WAS JAMMED IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION. NTSB METALLURGISTS REPORTED THAT THE BELLCRANK SHOWED ONLY SIGNS OF OVERSTRESS AND NO SIGNS OF FATIGUE. THE PILOT HAD 4.5 HRS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGICAL FINDINGS WERE: 0.293 UG/ML FLUOXETINE (PRESCRIPTION ANTIDEPRESSANT) AND 0.333 UG/ML NORFLUOXETINE (FLUOXETINE METABOLITE) IN BLOOD, NORDIAZEPAM IN BLOOD AND URINE, AND OXAZEPAM AND TEMAZEPAM IN URINE. NORDIAZEPAM, OXAZEPAM AND TEMAZEPAM ARE METABOLITES OF DIAZEPAM (VALIUM). NONE OF THE DRUGS ARE APPROVED BY THE FAA FOR USE WHILE FLYING. (-23) AIRCRAFT FUELED AT 0E0 APPROX. 16:00 MST - 02/03/97. TAKEOFF SHORTLY THEREAFTER. WRECKAGE SIGHTED NEXT DAY AT APPROX 11:30 AM. AIRCRAFT STRUCK GROUND IN EXTREME NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. EXAMINATION OF WRECKAGE REVEALED NO ABNORMALITIES TO/WITH AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (I.A. FLIGHT CONTROLS, POWERPLANT, MAGNETOS, PROP, ENGINE CONTROLS, TRIM, ETC.). AIRCRAFT RECORDS, REGISTRATION, AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE MISSING. PILOT INFORMATION (TOTAL HOURS, ETC.) UNAVAILABLE. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 26. WRECKAGE LOCATED APPROX 1/2 MILE DUE SOUTH (NEARLY MID RUNWAY) POINTING AT APPROX 195 DEGREES. ALL INDICATIONS POINT TO A STALL/SPIN SITUATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.