What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed on departure from Princeton airport and burned on impact. (.19) on July 13, 1999, at 1203 central daylight time, an amateur-built grimm sea Hawker, N188AK, piloted by an airline transport pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain, during landing, near the Princeton Municipal Airport (pnm), Princeton, MN. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, received serious injuries. The flight had originated approximately five minutes prior to the time of the accident for an unknown destination. Witnesses reported that the aircraft engine sounded labored during initial climb out following a takeoff from runway 15, and appeared to be returning for a landing on runway 15. The aircraft came to rest, in a vacant lot, approximately 0.5 miles north of the approach end of runway 15 (3900 feet by 75 feet, dry asphalt) at pnm. (-23)aircraft took off from rwy 15. Witness said the engine sounded very labored and that the aircraft was wobbling. Aircraft appeared to be attempting to return to the airport. On a heading of approx. 290 aircraft hit trees which separated the upper and lower left wing assemblies. A/c continued on approx. 30 yards where it hit the ground and was consumed by fire. Pilot airlifted from scene with serious upper body burns. This data will be amended as additional results are obtained. Corrective action to be determined upon pilot recovering from injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED ON DEPARTURE FROM PRINCETON AIRPORT AND BURNED ON IMPACT. (.19) ON JULY 13, 1999, AT 1203 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AMATEUR-BUILT GRIMM SEA HAWKER, N188AK, PILOTED BY AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN, DURING LANDING, NEAR THE PRINCETON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (PNM), PRINCETON, MN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES.THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT FOR AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SOUNDED LABORED DURING INITIAL CLIMB OUT FOLLOWING A TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 15, AND APPEARED TO BE RETURNING FOR A LANDING ON RUNWAY 15. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, IN A VACANT LOT, APPROXIMATELY 0.5 MILES NORTH OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 15 (3900 FEET BY 75 FEET, DRY ASPHALT) AT PNM. (-23)AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM RWY 15. WITNESS SAID THE ENGINE SOUNDED VERY LABORED AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS WOBBLING. AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. ON A HEADING OF APPROX. 290 AIRCRAFT HIT TREES WHICH SEPARATED THE UPPER AND LOWER LEFT WING ASSEMBLIES. A/C CONTINUED ON APPROX. 30 YARDS WHERE IT HIT THE GROUND AND WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. PILOT AIRLIFTED FROM SCENE WITH SERIOUS UPPER BODY BURNS. THIS DATA WILL BE AMENDED AS ADDITIONAL RESULTS ARE OBTAINED. CORRECTIVE ACTION TO BE DETERMINED UPON PILOT RECOVERING FROM INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.