What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed und unk circ, pilot suff serious inj., pass suff. Fatal inj, acft has subs dam, Terre Haute, IN (-23) on October 12, 1997 responded to an accident at sky king airport in Terre Haute, Indiana. A Cessna 172 N734WT had impacted in a field north of runway 26. Inspection of the site showed this to be the only impact area. Interviewed privacy data omitted and he stated that he was a eyewitness. The following is a narrative of his statement. privacy data omitted Stated that he had noticed the aircraft on approach to runway 26, the aircraft appeared to be doing approximately 60 knots and full flaps. As the aircraft continued the approach the pilot began having trouble with the cross wind. As the aircraft reached approximately 50 feet of altitude the pilot added go around power and began a climb. The aircraft continued down the runway heading and continued to climb, the left wing began to rise and the nose up angle increased to the point that the entire upper surface of the wing became visible. At this time with left wing at a high angle and the nose of the aircraft still at a high angle the aircraft stalled and began a spin to the right. Aircraft was at approximately 150 to 200 feet at the time of the stall. The aircraft completed almost 3/4 of turn to the right and impacted the ground in a near vertical altitude. Reported winds from the control tower at hulman regional airport were west southwest at 15 gust to 23. Weather conditions were VFR. Both occupants received fatal injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED UND UNK CIRC, PILOT SUFF SERIOUS INJ., PASS SUFF. FATAL INJ, ACFT HAS SUBS DAM, TERRE HAUTE, IN (-23) ON OCTOBER 12, 1997 RESPONDED TO AN ACCIDENT AT SKY KING AIRPORT IN TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA. A CESSNA 172 N734WT HAD IMPACTED IN A FIELD NORTH OF RUNWAY 26. INSPECTION OF THE SITE SHOWED THIS TO BE THE ONLY IMPACT AREA. INTERVIEWED ^PRIVACY DATA OM^ AND HE STATED THAT HE WAS A EYEWITNESS. THE FOLLOWING IS A NARRATIVE OF HIS STATEMENT. ^PRIVACY D^ STATED THAT HE HAD NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 26, THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE DOING APPROXIMATELY 60 KNOTS AND FULL FLAPS. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED THE APPROACH THE PILOT BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE CROSS WIND. AS THE AIRCRAFT REACHED APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET OF ALTITUDE THE PILOT ADDED GO AROUND POWER AND BEGAN A CLIMB. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED DOWN THE RUNWAY HEADING AND CONTINUED TO CLIMB, THE LEFT WING BEGAN TO RISE AND THE NOSE UP ANGLE INCREASED TO THE POINT THAT THE ENTIRE UPPER SURFACE OF THE WING BECAME VISIBLE. AT THIS TIME WITH LEFT WING AT A HIGH ANGLE AND THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT STILL AT A HIGH ANGLE THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND BEGAN A SPIN TO THE RIGHT. AIRCRAFT WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 150 TO 200 FEET AT THE TIME OF THE STALL. THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED ALMOST 3/4 OF TURN TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL ALTITUDE. REPORTED WINDS FROM THE CONTROL TOWER AT HULMAN REGIONAL AIRPORT WERE WEST SOUTHWEST AT 15 GUST TO 23. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VFR. BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.