What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft struck tree top and crashed while on final approach, gaston, AR. (-23) aircraft approached the airport at the midfield, crossed the runway and entered a left downwind for a left base. Upon turning final to runway 24, the pilot experienced sun blinding. The pilot continued the approach allowing the aircraft to drift to the right. The a/c contacted trees approximately 50 yards from the approach end of and approximately 50 feet to the right of the runway. A/c impacted the ground in a nose down, 45 degree angle, weather, VFR, no flight plan filed. Yhe pilot reported that after returning to the 3,200 ft. turf airstrip to land, he descended to 1,400 feet MSL and entered a left downwind for runway 24. He added that after configuring the airplane for landing, he turned final approach. The pilot further stated that 'in the course of the final approach, the sun suddenly blinded me and I didn't have any forward vision'. He concluded with the statement, 'I apparently drifted to to the right of course and struck a tree...' The right wing of the airplane impacted trees located north of the final approach course. The non-rated passenger, who was seated in the right front seat, also stated that 'on landed we were blinded by the sun'. The airplane was equipped with sun visors for both front seats.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT STRUCK TREE TOP AND CRASHED WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, GASTON, AR. (-23) AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE AIRPORT AT THE MIDFIELD, CROSSED THE RUNWAY AND ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR A LEFT BASE. UPON TURNING FINAL TO RUNWAY 24, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SUN BLINDING. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE APPROACH ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. THE A/C CONTACTED TREES APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS FROM THE APPROACH END OF AND APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. A/C IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN, 45 DEGREE ANGLE, WEATHER, VFR, NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. YHE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER RETURNING TO THE 3,200 FT. TURF AIRSTRIP TO LAND, HE DESCENDED TO 1,400 FEET MSL AND ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 24. HE ADDED THAT AFTER CONFIGURING THE AIRPLANE FOR LANDING, HE TURNED FINAL APPROACH. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT 'IN THE COURSE OF THE FINAL APPROACH, THE SUN SUDDENLY BLINDED ME AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY FORWARD VISION'. HE CONCLUDED WITH THE STATEMENT, 'I APPARENTLY DRIFTED TO TO THE RIGHT OF COURSE AND STRUCK A TREE...' THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES LOCATED NORTH OF THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. THE NON-RATED PASSENGER, WHO WAS SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, ALSO STATED THAT 'ON LANDED WE WERE BLINDED BY THE SUN'. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH SUN VISORS FOR BOTH FRONT SEATS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.