What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Engine sputtered on climbout made steep 180 degree bank to return. Hit trees. Fuel depleted. Possible medical. (.4)the flight took off with approximately a 30-minute to 1-hour fuel supply. After takeoff, the pilot/flight instructor and dual student (on her first instructional flight) practiced airwork for approximately 15 minutes, then returned to the airport for touch-and-go landings. The flight instructor, who held an FAA medical certificate valid for third-class privileges at the time, reported that on the third touch-and-go pattern, while downwind, he lost consciousness. The dual student stated that while the instructor (her father) was piloting and speaking to her, the aircraft suddenly started heading for trees, and that she then shouted, 'what are you doing?!', but that the instructor did not respond. A witness reported that the airplane's engine sputtered and stalled as the airplane went into a steep left bank, and that it then crashed into the trees. FAA on-scene investigators found a very small quantity of fuel on board the aircraft, and the aircraft's propeller exhibited no evidence of significant engine power at impact. Recor rds of the pilot's treatment at a local hospital following the accident contained discharge diagnoses of 'syncope prior to accident privacy data omitted ' and 'atrial fibrillation/juctional tachycardi.' The pilot/instructor reported that no mechanical cailure or malfunction was involved in the accident. (-23)aircraft departed Sandpoint airpoint (szt) after making touch and go landing. After departure, witnesses reported that engine sputtered, and aircraft entered steep left bank. Aircraft completed 180 degree turn, and impacted trees in left bank. Although left fuel tank was compromised during landing, investigation determined that accidentprivacy data omitted . Additional factor of pilot medical incapacitation also possible.
As the FAA filed it
ENGINE SPUTTERED ON CLIMBOUT MADE STEEP 180 DEGREE BANK TO RETURN. HIT TREES. FUEL DEPLETED. POSSIBLE MEDICAL. (.4)THE FLIGHT TOOK OFF WITH APPROXIMATELY A 30-MINUTE TO 1-HOUR FUEL SUPPLY. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT/FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND DUAL STUDENT (ON HER FIRST INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT) PRACTICED AIRWORK FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES, THEN RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT FOR TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, WHO HELD AN FAA MEDICAL CERTIFICATE VALID FOR THIRD-CLASS PRIVILEGES AT THE TIME, REPORTED THAT ON THE THIRD TOUCH-AND-GO PATTERN, WHILE DOWNWIND, HE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS. THE DUAL STUDENT STATED THAT WHILE THE INSTRUCTOR (HER FATHER) WAS PILOTING AND SPEAKING TO HER, THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY STARTED HEADING FOR TREES, AND THAT SHE THEN SHOUTED, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!', BUT THAT THE INSTRUCTOR DID NOT RESPOND. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE SPUTTERED AND STALLED AS THE AIRPLANE WENT INTO A STEEP LEFT BANK, AND THAT IT THEN CRASHED INTO THE TREES. FAA ON-SCENE INVESTIGATORS FOUND A VERY SMALL QUANTITY OF FUEL ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE AIRCRAFT'S PROPELLER EXHIBITED NO EVIDENCE OF SIGNIFICANT ENGINE POWER AT IMPACT. RECOR RDS OF THE PILOT'S TREATMENT AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT CONTAINED DISCHARGE DIAGNOSES OF 'SYNCOPE PRIOR TO ACCIDENT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ' AND 'ATRIAL FIBRILLATION/JUCTIONAL TACHYCARDI.' THE PILOT/INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT NO MECHANICAL CAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT. (-23)AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SANDPOINT AIRPOINT (SZT) AFTER MAKING TOUCH AND GO LANDING. AFTER DEPARTURE, WITNESSES REPORTED THAT ENGINE SPUTTERED, AND AIRCRAFT ENTERED STEEP LEFT BANK. AIRCRAFT COMPLETED 180 DEGREE TURN, AND IMPACTED TREES IN LEFT BANK. ALTHOUGH LEFT FUEL TANK WAS COMPROMISED DURING LANDING, INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT ACCIDENT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ . ADDITIONAL FACTOR OF PILOT MEDICAL INCAPACITATION ALSO POSSIBLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.