What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) A witness said the airplane began a left turn but before the turn was completed, `it went flat down on its belly...like a pancake.' The witness said the airplane then burst into flames. The computed density altitude was 5,538 feet MSL. It was estimated the airplane was slightly overweight at the time of the accident, bu the center of gravity was within limits. (-23) according to the witness statements, N58870 had been performing touch and go landings at the Jal airport on the north/south runway (takeoff to the south left hand patterns). On about the fourth or fifth touch and go, witnesses stated that it appeared the aircraft was not making as much power as the prior takeoffs. However, the engine was not smoking or popping and sounded as if it were running smoothly, just not as loud. The aircraft was reportedly in a shallow climb with an extremely nose-high attitude making a tight pattern to land on the east west runway at Jal airport (approach from the east). Witness stated that the aircraft banked to the left, at an estimated altitude of less than 100 feet, and then suddenly fell flat to the ground. The aircraft burst into flames in seconds. Inspection of the crash sit e indicates the witness accounts are correct. The aircraft impacted the ground about 50 yards before crossing a row of power lines.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) A WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A LEFT TURN BUT BEFORE THE TURN WAS COMPLETED, `IT WENT FLAT DOWN ON ITS BELLY...LIKE A PANCAKE.' THE WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE THEN BURST INTO FLAMES. THE COMPUTED DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 5,538 FEET MSL. IT WAS ESTIMATED THE AIRPLANE WAS SLIGHTLY OVERWEIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, BU THE CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS WITHIN LIMITS. (-23) ACCORDING TO THE WITNESS STATEMENTS, N58870 HAD BEEN PERFORMING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT THE JAL AIRPORT ON THE NORTH/SOUTH RUNWAY (TAKEOFF TO THE SOUTH LEFT HAND PATTERNS). ON ABOUT THE FOURTH OR FIFTH TOUCH AND GO, WITNESSES STATED THAT IT APPEARED THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT MAKING AS MUCH POWER AS THE PRIOR TAKEOFFS. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE WAS NOT SMOKING OR POPPING AND SOUNDED AS IF IT WERE RUNNING SMOOTHLY, JUST NOT AS LOUD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTEDLY IN A SHALLOW CLIMB WITH AN EXTREMELY NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE MAKING A TIGHT PATTERN TO LAND ON THE EAST WEST RUNWAY AT JAL AIRPORT (APPROACH FROM THE EAST). WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BANKED TO THE LEFT, AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF LESS THAN 100 FEET, AND THEN SUDDENLY FELL FLAT TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT BURST INTO FLAMES IN SECONDS. INSPECTION OF THE CRASH SIT E INDICATES THE WITNESS ACCOUNTS ARE CORRECT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 50 YARDS BEFORE CROSSING A ROW OF POWER LINES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.