What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed under unknown circumstances, acft was destroyed by fire. (-23)N377X was destroyed following a loss of control while turning ontp the base leg in the traffic pattern at Fort Collins Downtown airpark, Fort Collins Colorado. The commercial pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. According to witnesses, the airplane was observed flying at low altitude "close in downwind" to runway 11. Witnesses stated that as the airplane turned onto base leg for landing, it descended and impacted the ground. Postimpact fire consumed the airplane. (Pilot and aircraft records destroyed in postimpact fire. Aircraft times and pilot times are from insurance records and conversation with mechanic completing last annual. Regulatory checkride is unknown).
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. (-23)N377X WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE TURNING ONTP THE BASE LEG IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT FORT COLLINS DOWNTOWN AIRPARK, FORT COLLINS COLORADO. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE "CLOSE IN DOWNWIND" TO RUNWAY 11. WITNESSES STATED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE TURNED ONTO BASE LEG FOR LANDING, IT DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. POSTIMPACT FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRPLANE. (PILOT AND AIRCRAFT RECORDS DESTROYED IN POSTIMPACT FIRE. AIRCRAFT TIMES AND PILOT TIMES ARE FROM INSURANCE RECORDS AND CONVERSATION WITH MECHANIC COMPLETING LAST ANNUAL. REGULATORY CHECKRIDE IS UNKNOWN).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.