What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N715DZ departed avery county airport (7A8) for shiflet field (9A9) marion, NC. After 15 minutes and approx. 3 miles from 7A8 the non certified Rotax engine of the experimental homebuilt a/c stopped producing power and a forced landing in mountainous terrain became necessary. After what must have been a full stall type landing in the treetops the plane was memetarily supported by branches. It then fell approx. 80 feet and crashed into the forest floor. Injuries to pilot include a broken knee and wrist and he was heli lifted to hospital. The kit built Kitfox airplane was last inspected 1/1/97 and was being flown to 9A9 for a required yearly inspection. The a/c was not equipped with the FAR required ELT and the immobilzed pilot was able to call 911 on his cell phone and initiate his rescue.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N715DZ DEPARTED AVERY COUNTY AIRPORT (7A8) FOR SHIFLET FIELD (9A9) MARION, NC. AFTER 15 MINUTES AND APPROX. 3 MILES FROM 7A8 THE NON CERTIFIED ROTAX ENGINE OF THE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT A/C STOPPED PRODUCING POWER AND A FORCED LANDING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN BECAME NECESSARY. AFTER WHAT MUST HAVE BEEN A FULL STALL TYPE LANDING IN THE TREETOPS THE PLANE WAS MEMETARILY SUPPORTED BY BRANCHES. IT THEN FELL APPROX. 80 FEET AND CRASHED INTO THE FOREST FLOOR. INJURIES TO PILOT INCLUDE A BROKEN KNEE AND WRIST AND HE WAS HELI LIFTED TO HOSPITAL. THE KIT BUILT KITFOX AIRPLANE WAS LAST INSPECTED 1/1/97 AND WAS BEING FLOWN TO 9A9 FOR A REQUIRED YEARLY INSPECTION. THE A/C WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH THE FAR REQUIRED ELT AND THE IMMOBILZED PILOT WAS ABLE TO CALL 911 ON HIS CELL PHONE AND INITIATE HIS RESCUE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.