What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On takeoff aircraft made 180% turn then nosed down into ground and burned. (.4)four witnesses observed the aircraft taxi to the takeoff end of runway 28 and delay for what they thought was sufficient time to accomplish an engine and flight control checkout. During takeoff, the aircraft was observed to liftoff at the midfield point on the 7,000 foot runway and begin a shallow climb. Near the departure end of the runway, at an estimated altitude of 100 to 150 feet AGL, witnesses observed the aircraft enter a turn to the left and begin to rapidly lose altitude. The aircraft continued to lose altitude throughout the turn until it impacted the ground. Postcrash investigation did not disclose any preexisting flight control, fuel, or engine system malfunctions, nor did toxicology results of the pilot indicate impairment. The flight departure was to the west (at dusk) toward a good visual horizon left by the setting sun. However, as the aircraft turned left, the forward visual horizon became less discernible due to darkness and lack of ground references, such as lights, which were minimal. At the time of takeoff, the density altitude was approximately 7,800 feet MSL.
As the FAA filed it
ON TAKEOFF AIRCRAFT MADE 180% TURN THEN NOSED DOWN INTO GROUND AND BURNED. (.4)FOUR WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TAXI TO THE TAKEOFF END OF RUNWAY 28 AND DELAY FOR WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS SUFFICIENT TIME TO ACCOMPLISH AN ENGINE AND FLIGHT CONTROL CHECKOUT. DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO LIFTOFF AT THE MIDFIELD POINT ON THE 7,000 FOOT RUNWAY AND BEGIN A SHALLOW CLIMB. NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 100 TO 150 FEET AGL, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT ENTER A TURN TO THE LEFT AND BEGIN TO RAPIDLY LOSE ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO LOSE ALTITUDE THROUGHOUT THE TURN UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. POSTCRASH INVESTIGATION DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PREEXISTING FLIGHT CONTROL, FUEL, OR ENGINE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, NOR DID TOXICOLOGY RESULTS OF THE PILOT INDICATE IMPAIRMENT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTURE WAS TO THE WEST (AT DUSK) TOWARD A GOOD VISUAL HORIZON LEFT BY THE SETTING SUN. HOWEVER, AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED LEFT, THE FORWARD VISUAL HORIZON BECAME LESS DISCERNIBLE DUE TO DARKNESS AND LACK OF GROUND REFERENCES, SUCH AS LIGHTS, WHICH WERE MINIMAL. AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF, THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,800 FEET MSL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.