What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed shortly after take-off 1.6 miles from the arpt, other circumstances are unknown. (.4) according to witnesses, the ceiling was about 50 feet above the ground, and the takeoff appeared to be normal until the collision with trees. According to the FAA inspector on-scene, the aircraft collided with trees and rising terrain and subsequently the ground in a wooded area about 1.6 miles south of the airport. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplane had collided with trees up-slope on the north side of a ridge, at the 3800 foot level. The slope of the ridge was approximately 25 degrees. The initial crash path through the trees was inclined 3-5 degrees. Examination of the engine found it heat damaged from the post-impact fire. All of the accessory components were destroyed. Engine examination and partial disassembly found no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical deficiencies that would have prevented the engine from developing power.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF 1.6 MILES FROM THE ARPT, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.4) ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE CEILING WAS ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AND THE TAKEOFF APPEARED TO BE NORMAL UNTIL THE COLLISION WITH TREES. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR ON-SCENE, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND RISING TERRAIN AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE GROUND IN A WOODED AREA ABOUT 1.6 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD COLLIDED WITH TREES UP-SLOPE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF A RIDGE, AT THE 3800 FOOT LEVEL. THE SLOPE OF THE RIDGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25 DEGREES. THE INITIAL CRASH PATH THROUGH THE TREES WAS INCLINED 3-5 DEGREES. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FOUND IT HEAT DAMAGED FROM THE POST-IMPACT FIRE. ALL OF THE ACCESSORY COMPONENTS WERE DESTROYED. ENGINE EXAMINATION AND PARTIAL DISASSEMBLY FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE ENGINE FROM DEVELOPING POWER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.