What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On April 5, 2000, at appprox. 1830, privacy data omitted saw what he thought to be a "homemade" airplane enter what appeared ro be a stall spin when entering downwind for RE22 at Orange County Airport. privacy data omitted Stated that at approx. 400 ft. the pilot almost had the plane recovered from the spin, but at the point it went inverted and then went vertically into the ground. (.4)the single-engine experimental homebuilt airplane impacted the terrain while maneuvering in day visual meteorological conditions in the local area. Witnesses heard the engine stall, quit, and restart. Other witnesses observed the airplane stall and spiral down towards the ground in a clockwise direction. The airplane impacted terrain in a nose low attitude. Flight control continuity was confirmed. According to the manufacturer representative, who examined the engine, 'there was no engine condition identified which could be directly associated to engine failure or stoppage.' It could not be determined which of the two private pilots aboard the airplane was on the flight controls at the time of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON APRIL 5, 2000, AT APPPROX. 1830, ^PRIVACY DATA OM^ SAW WHAT HE THOUGHT TO BE A "HOMEMADE" AIRPLANE ENTER WHAT APPEARED RO BE A STALL SPIN WHEN ENTERING DOWNWIND FOR RE22 AT ORANGE COUNTY AIRPORT. ^PRIVACY D^ STATED THAT AT APPROX. 400 FT. THE PILOT ALMOST HAD THE PLANE RECOVERED FROM THE SPIN, BUT AT THE POINT IT WENT INVERTED AND THEN WENT VERTICALLY INTO THE GROUND. (.4)THE SINGLE-ENGINE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING IN DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN THE LOCAL AREA. WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE STALL, QUIT, AND RESTART. OTHER WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE STALL AND SPIRAL DOWN TOWARDS THE GROUND IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE, WHO EXAMINED THE ENGINE, 'THERE WAS NO ENGINE CONDITION IDENTIFIED WHICH COULD BE DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED TO ENGINE FAILURE OR STOPPAGE.' IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED WHICH OF THE TWO PRIVATE PILOTS ABOARD THE AIRPLANE WAS ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.