What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 27, 1997, at approximately 1340 local time, a Stinson 108, N97120, piloted by private pilot richard e. hofmann, crashed at pope field (gfd), Greenfield, Indiana, killing the pilot and destroying the aircraft in the fire after the accident. Witnesses stated they observed the aircraft takeoff to the south and at approximately 200 feet the engine sputtered and stopped. The pilot immediately attempted a left turn with an approximate 80 to 90 degree bank in an attempt to return to the runway. The aircraft impacted the ground in a left wing, nose low attitude near the takeoff runway.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 27, 1997, AT APPROXIMATELY 1340 LOCAL TIME, A STINSON 108, N97120, PILOTED BY PRIVATE PILOT RICHARD E. HOFMANN, CRASHED AT POPE FIELD (GFD), GREENFIELD, INDIANA, KILLING THE PILOT AND DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT IN THE FIRE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES STATED THEY OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TAKEOFF TO THE SOUTH AND AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND STOPPED. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED A LEFT TURN WITH AN APPROXIMATE 80 TO 90 DEGREE BANK IN AN ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE NEAR THE TAKEOFF RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.