What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Encountered low level wind shear. Was forced onto ground. (.4)following takeoff for a local area personal night flight, the pilot noticed lightning to the north of his position so he returned to land. While on a 2 mile final for landing on runway 8, the aircraft settled and struck the ground. The pilot said he thought he encountered a low level wind shear. Weather at the time was scattered clouds with 10 miles visibility and wind from 160 degrees at 18 knots. An airport located approximately 7 miles northwest of the accident site was equipped with low level wind shear alert equipment which was operational. The equipment did not sound an alarm. The pilot said he was flying at 6,000 feet MSL and the accident site elevation was 5,689 feet MSL. (-23) the pilot stated he encountered a low level wind shear or micro-burst and the aircraft forced onto the ground.
As the FAA filed it
ENCOUNTERED LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR. WAS FORCED ONTO GROUND. (.4)FOLLOWING TAKEOFF FOR A LOCAL AREA PERSONAL NIGHT FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTICED LIGHTNING TO THE NORTH OF HIS POSITION SO HE RETURNED TO LAND. WHILE ON A 2 MILE FINAL FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 8, THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED AND STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT SAID HE THOUGHT HE ENCOUNTERED A LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR. WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS SCATTERED CLOUDS WITH 10 MILES VISIBILITY AND WIND FROM 160 DEGREES AT 18 KNOTS. AN AIRPORT LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS EQUIPPED WITH LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR ALERT EQUIPMENT WHICH WAS OPERATIONAL. THE EQUIPMENT DID NOT SOUND AN ALARM. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS FLYING AT 6,000 FEET MSL AND THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION WAS 5,689 FEET MSL. (-23) THE PILOT STATED HE ENCOUNTERED A LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR OR MICRO-BURST AND THE AIRCRAFT FORCED ONTO THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.