What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Witnesses stated aircraft appeared to be attemping emergency landing at private grass strip. Witnesses stated they heard engine sputtering during the approach and that pilot apparently tried to avoid people on the ground when he pulled up and banked. The airplane crashed in a heavily wooded area adjacent to the landing strip and was totally demolished by the post crash fire. All occupants were burned beyond recogition. (.4) witnesses located near the northwest end of a private airstrip reported that they observed the airplane approach from the west, and it appeared as if it was going to land. As the airplane flew by the witnesses, at about 30-60 feet AGL, the engine "sounded like it was cutting out." After the airplane passed the witnesses, it pulled up, and "suddenly the engine cut out." The airplane turned left and then nosed down into trees. The airplane was consumed by fire. No structural or mechanical anomalies were observed during the post accident examination of the airplane. The reason for the engine's loss of power could not be determined. The temperature was 86 degrees fahrenheit, and the dew point was 73 degrees fahrenheit. According to the car buretor icing probability chart, this places the airplane in the serious icing range at glide power.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WITNESSES STATED AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE ATTEMPING EMERGENCY LANDING AT PRIVATE GRASS STRIP. WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD ENGINE SPUTTERING DURING THE APPROACH AND THAT PILOT APPARENTLY TRIED TO AVOID PEOPLE ON THE GROUND WHEN HE PULLED UP AND BANKED. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA ADJACENT TO THE LANDING STRIP AND WAS TOTALLY DEMOLISHED BY THE POST CRASH FIRE. ALL OCCUPANTS WERE BURNED BEYOND RECOGITION. (.4) WITNESSES LOCATED NEAR THE NORTHWEST END OF A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP REPORTED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE APPROACH FROM THE WEST, AND IT APPEARED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO LAND. AS THE AIRPLANE FLEW BY THE WITNESSES, AT ABOUT 30-60 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE "SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS CUTTING OUT." AFTER THE AIRPLANE PASSED THE WITNESSES, IT PULLED UP, AND "SUDDENLY THE ENGINE CUT OUT." THE AIRPLANE TURNED LEFT AND THEN NOSED DOWN INTO TREES. THE AIRPLANE WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. NO STRUCTURAL OR MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE OBSERVED DURING THE POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE. THE REASON FOR THE ENGINE'S LOSS OF POWER COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 86 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND THE DEW POINT WAS 73 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. ACCORDING TO THE CAR BURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART, THIS PLACES THE AIRPLANE IN THE SERIOUS ICING RANGE AT GLIDE 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.