What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)Farmington airport manager reported a brief distress call from the aircraft followed by engine surge sounds. He then witnessed the aircraft make an apparent 90 degree bank to a nose down attitude into the ground. The aircraft wreckage was found approx. 2 miles north of the airport. The propeller with the crankshaft flange and 1"-2" of crankshaft were located 1/4-1/2 mile east of the main wreckage; a debris field of mostly empennage parts were found 1/4 mile east of propeller. Investigation revealed that the propeller struck the empennage 7-8 times starting at the dorsal fairing, progressing back thru the vertical & horizontal stabilizers, elevator torque tube & aft fuselage bulkhead.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)FARMINGTON AIRPORT MANAGER REPORTED A BRIEF DISTRESS CALL FROM THE AIRCRAFT FOLLOWED BY ENGINE SURGE SOUNDS. HE THEN WITNESSED THE AIRCRAFT MAKE AN APPARENT 90 DEGREE BANK TO A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE INTO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND APPROX. 2 MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE PROPELLER WITH THE CRANKSHAFT FLANGE AND 1"-2" OF CRANKSHAFT WERE LOCATED 1/4-1/2 MILE EAST OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE; A DEBRIS FIELD OF MOSTLY EMPENNAGE PARTS WERE FOUND 1/4 MILE EAST OF PROPELLER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE EMPENNAGE 7-8 TIMES STARTING AT THE DORSAL FAIRING, PROGRESSING BACK THRU THE VERTICAL & HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS, ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBE & AFT FUSELAGE BULKHEAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.