What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 06/30/01, at 1757 hours PDT, an experimental/amateur-built focke wulf, model FW-190, was destroyed when it collided with terrain shortly after climbout from Reedley municipal airport (032) in Reedley, CA. The private pilot/owner was operating the 1/2-scale replica of a world war ii fighter(single-engine, single-seat) under the provision of 14 CFR part 91. The flight departed from runway 33 at 032 at approximately 1752 hours PDT. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. At about 850' altitude, and at 90 miles per hour, the aircraft "didn't feel right", according to the pilot. He made the decision to return to the airport. He began to make a slow left turn in the pattern, and stated that he lost control of the aircraft after completing the left turn. The aircraft plunged into an orchard one-half mile west of the airport. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The pilot stated at the time of takeoff the outside temperature was 103 degrees fahrenheit and that the extreme heat was a causal factor in the accident. The pilot admitted that it was a "pilot induced departure stall due to the hot weather." He stated there were no problems with the engine, and it was running "great." (.19) on June 30, 2001, at 1750 hours pacific daylight time, a smith FW-190, N376FW, an experimental airplane, impacted terrain about 0.5-miles west of the Reedley municipal airport, Reedley, California, under undetermined circumstances. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot, who was also the builder of the airplane. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot, the sole occupant, received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight operating under 14 CFR part 91, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot departed runway 33 on a local area demonstration flight for a new prospective buyer.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 06/30/01, AT 1757 HOURS PDT, AN EXPERIMENTAL/AMATEUR-BUILT FOCKE WULF, MODEL FW-190, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN SHORTLY AFTER CLIMBOUT FROM REEDLEY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (032) IN REEDLEY, CA. THE PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER WAS OPERATING THE 1/2-SCALE REPLICA OF A WORLD WAR II FIGHTER(SINGLE-ENGINE, SINGLE-SEAT) UNDER THE PROVISION OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 33 AT 032 AT APPROXIMATELY 1752 HOURS PDT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. AT ABOUT 850' ALTITUDE, AND AT 90 MILES PER HOUR, THE AIRCRAFT "DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT", ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. HE MADE THE DECISION TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. HE BEGAN TO MAKE A SLOW LEFT TURN IN THE PATTERN, AND STATED THAT HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER COMPLETING THE LEFT TURN. THE AIRCRAFT PLUNGED INTO AN ORCHARD ONE-HALF MILE WEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT STATED AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 103 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND THAT THE EXTREME HEAT WAS A CAUSAL FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT ADMITTED THAT IT WAS A "PILOT INDUCED DEPARTURE STALL DUE TO THE HOT WEATHER." HE STATED THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE, AND IT WAS RUNNING "GREAT." (.19) ON JUNE 30, 2001, AT 1750 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A SMITH FW-190, N376FW, AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE, IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 0.5-MILES WEST OF THE REEDLEY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, REEDLEY, CALIFORNIA, UNDER UNDETERMINED CIRCUMSTANCES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, WHO WAS ALSO THE BUILDER OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT DEPARTED RUNWAY 33 ON A LOCAL AREA DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT FOR A NEW PROSPECTIVE BUYER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.