What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft was attempting to land in a rice field for unknown reasons when it struck a levee and flipped over. (-23) witnesses stated that the pilot was circling an oil drilling rig on an aerial photography missin when the aircraft attempted to land in a dry rice field. One witness from the oil rig site stated that he heard the engine sputtering. Two other witnesses from the same location stated that the noise was too high from the oil rig to hear any noise from the aircraft. During the landing, the aircraft struck a 4' levee and flipped over on its back. The investigation did not reveal any malfunctions with the engine or the airfram fuel system. The pilot has not been able to give any statements due to his physical condition.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A RICE FIELD FOR UNKNOWN REASONS WHEN IT STRUCK A LEVEE AND FLIPPED OVER. (-23) WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PILOT WAS CIRCLING AN OIL DRILLING RIG ON AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY MISSIN WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A DRY RICE FIELD. ONE WITNESS FROM THE OIL RIG SITE STATED THAT HE HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTERING. TWO OTHER WITNESSES FROM THE SAME LOCATION STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS TOO HIGH FROM THE OIL RIG TO HEAR ANY NOISE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A 4' LEVEE AND FLIPPED OVER ON ITS BACK. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE ENGINE OR THE AIRFRAM FUEL SYSTEM. THE PILOT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GIVE ANY STATEMENTS DUE TO HIS PHYSICAL CONDITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.