What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 16, 2001, at approximately 0909 hours, the aircraft climbed to about 1000 feet AGL when the aircraft experienced loss of engine power. The pilot then lost control and the aircraft collided with the ground. The aircraft was demolished/post fire and the pilot sustained fatal injuries. (.19) on June 16, 2001, at about 0909 eastern daylight time, a broyles experimental P51 airplane, N251RB, operating as a 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, crashed in a residential area while maneuvering in the vicinity of Conestee, south carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed and a postcrash fire ensued. The private pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from donaldson center airport (gyh), Conestee, south carolina, about 9 minutes before the accident. A friend of the pilot stated he observed his friend depart from runway 05 at gyh. When the airplane reached about 1,000 feet, he observed black smoke in the vicinity of the engine exhaust area. A short time later the airplane leveled off, slowed down, and smoke became continuous in the vicinity of the engine exhaust. The airplane was observed to start a roll to the right between 90 to 110 degrees, and the nose dropped to a near vertical down position. The airplane disappeared from view below a tree line. He heard his friend transmit over the radio, "I have a problem." The airplane collided with the ground and a fire ensued.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 16, 2001, AT APPROXIMATELY 0909 HOURS, THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 1000 FEET AGL WHEN THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT THEN LOST CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEMOLISHED/POST FIRE AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. (.19) ON JUNE 16, 2001, AT ABOUT 0909 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BROYLES EXPERIMENTAL P51 AIRPLANE, N251RB, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, CRASHED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA WHILE MANEUVERING IN THE VICINITY OF CONESTEE, SOUTH CAROLINA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED AND A POSTCRASH FIRE ENSUED. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM DONALDSON CENTER AIRPORT (GYH), CONESTEE, SOUTH CAROLINA, ABOUT 9 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. A FRIEND OF THE PILOT STATED HE OBSERVED HIS FRIEND DEPART FROM RUNWAY 05 AT GYH. WHEN THE AIRPLANE REACHED ABOUT 1,000 FEET, HE OBSERVED BLACK SMOKE IN THE VICINITY OF THE ENGINE EXHAUST AREA. A SHORT TIME LATER THE AIRPLANE LEVELED OFF, SLOWED DOWN, AND SMOKE BECAME CONTINUOUS IN THE VICINITY OF THE ENGINE EXHAUST. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO START A ROLL TO THE RIGHT BETWEEN 90 TO 110 DEGREES, AND THE NOSE DROPPED TO A NEAR VERTICAL DOWN POSITION. THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW BELOW A TREE LINE. HE HEARD HIS FRIEND TRANSMIT OVER THE RADIO, "I HAVE A PROBLEM." THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND A FIRE ENSUED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.