What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft was on approach when it made a right turn and descended behind the treeline of a hill, acft crashed. (.4) the airplane crashed while turning downwind, in day VFR conditions, after a 4 1/2 hour cross country flight. The pilot was in contact with the tower, but no distress calls were recorded. Wreckage examination revealed no evidence of a machanical malfunction. The pilot had 76 total flight hours, and 5 hours in model prior to the accident flight. (-23) the aircraft called tower nine miles sw of airport. He was advised to report left down wind for runway-. That was acknowledged. When one mile out, he was lined up with runway 5. Twr advised of his position and given winds 36/18 and given 5 if he wanted it. Pilot opted for left down wind for 29. Aircraft was about 400'AGL. Pilot started a rt turn which increased steadily. Aircraft lost altitude and struck ground engine running.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT WAS ON APPROACH WHEN IT MADE A RIGHT TURN AND DESCENDED BEHIND THE TREELINE OF A HILL, ACFT CRASHED. (.4) THE AIRPLANE CRASHED WHILE TURNING DOWNWIND, IN DAY VFR CONDITIONS, AFTER A 4 1/2 HOUR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE TOWER, BUT NO DISTRESS CALLS WERE RECORDED. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MACHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT HAD 76 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS, AND 5 HOURS IN MODEL PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. (-23) THE AIRCRAFT CALLED TOWER NINE MILES SW OF AIRPORT. HE WAS ADVISED TO REPORT LEFT DOWN WIND FOR RUNWAY-. THAT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. WHEN ONE MILE OUT, HE WAS LINED UP WITH RUNWAY 5. TWR ADVISED OF HIS POSITION AND GIVEN WINDS 36/18 AND GIVEN 5 IF HE WANTED IT. PILOT OPTED FOR LEFT DOWN WIND FOR 29. AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 400'AGL. PILOT STARTED A RT TURN WHICH INCREASED STEADILY. AIRCRAFT LOST ALTITUDE AND STRUCK GROUND ENGINE RUNNING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.