What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)The aircraft was flying low over the rappahannock river, Culpeper VA, it was making a left turn (bank) and started climbing to get over the trees (the trees are steeper on the Culpeper side of the river). The next thing that happened was the aircraft started to clip off the tree branches, shortly after the aircraft impacted the ground in the woods. This information was given by a witness (mcveigh and mccarthy), also note that john graves, one of the pilots, died on 2 nov 1999 and chad dillon is still listed in serious condition as of date, 3 November 1999.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING LOW OVER THE RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER, CULPEPER VA, IT WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN (BANK) AND STARTED CLIMBING TO GET OVER THE TREES (THE TREES ARE STEEPER ON THE CULPEPER SIDE OF THE RIVER). THE NEXT THING THAT HAPPENED WAS THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO CLIP OFF THE TREE BRANCHES, SHORTLY AFTER THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN THE WOODS. THIS INFORMATION WAS GIVEN BY A WITNESS (MCVEIGH AND MCCARTHY), ALSO NOTE THAT JOHN GRAVES, ONE OF THE PILOTS, DIED ON 2 NOV 1999 AND CHAD DILLON IS STILL LISTED IN SERIOUS CONDITION AS OF DATE, 3 NOVEMBER 1999.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.