What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot reported operating approximately 600 to 800 feet AGL with 10 degrees of flap extended at approximately 80 mph. There was a loud "bang" on the left side of the airplane, followed by a strong and abrupt left rolling moment and downward pitch. The pilot was unable to counter the motion and felt certain that he was going to crash into the trees below, so he extended full flaps and attempted the best landing possible in the treetops. The pilot received minor injuries but his passenger was fatally injured. The aircraft was not equipped with shoulder harnesses. Post accident investigation revealed a broken left flap cable that had been miss-routed outside of a puley keeper. It was corroded and had abraided against an unknown part of the structure when it suddenly failed in flight, inducing the rolling and pitching moments. It was obvious that this condition had existed for a considerable length of time prior to the accident. Following the discovery, the pilot realized that extending full flaps prior to the forced landing merely exacerbated the situation. Eir number 2001CE050058.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT REPORTED OPERATING APPROXIMATELY 600 TO 800 FEET AGL WITH 10 DEGREES OF FLAP EXTENDED AT APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH. THERE WAS A LOUD "BANG" ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE, FOLLOWED BY A STRONG AND ABRUPT LEFT ROLLING MOMENT AND DOWNWARD PITCH. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO COUNTER THE MOTION AND FELT CERTAIN THAT HE WAS GOING TO CRASH INTO THE TREES BELOW, SO HE EXTENDED FULL FLAPS AND ATTEMPTED THE BEST LANDING POSSIBLE IN THE TREETOPS. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES BUT HIS PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER HARNESSES. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BROKEN LEFT FLAP CABLE THAT HAD BEEN MISS-ROUTED OUTSIDE OF A PULEY KEEPER. IT WAS CORRODED AND HAD ABRAIDED AGAINST AN UNKNOWN PART OF THE STRUCTURE WHEN IT SUDDENLY FAILED IN FLIGHT, INDUCING THE ROLLING AND PITCHING MOMENTS. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THIS CONDITION HAD EXISTED FOR A CONSIDERABLE LENGTH OF TIME PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT EXTENDING FULL FLAPS PRIOR TO THE FORCED LANDING MERELY EXACERBATED THE SITUATION. EIR NUMBER 2001CE050058.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.