What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 21, 2001, at 1245 central daylight time, an experimental smith kelly d biplane, N303SM, was destroyed when it experienced an in-flight separation of the right upper wing and impacted terrain about .5 mile north of the poplar grove airport (C77), poplar grove, Illinois. The private pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. The 14 CFR part 91 pleasure flight had departed C77 at 1230 on a local flight. The airplane was observed doing aerobatic type maneuvers prior to the in-flight break-up. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. (-23) on July 21, 2001 N303SM, a glenn w. smith, model kelly d biplane, experimental amateur-built aircraft impacted the ground. The commercial rated pilot and single passenger sustained fatal injuries. The lower rod end of the right wing forward interwing strut which attached to the "I" stut failed. The upper end of the "I" strut then failed at the welded area. The top right wing departed the aircraft. The wing was found approximately .3 miles from the impact site. No fire. Nothing follows.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 21, 2001, AT 1245 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL SMITH KELLY D BIPLANE, N303SM, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE RIGHT UPPER WING AND IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT .5 MILE NORTH OF THE POPLAR GROVE AIRPORT (C77), POPLAR GROVE, ILLINOIS. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PLEASURE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED C77 AT 1230 ON A LOCAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED DOING AEROBATIC TYPE MANEUVERS PRIOR TO THE IN-FLIGHT BREAK-UP. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. (-23) ON JULY 21, 2001 N303SM, A GLENN W. SMITH, MODEL KELLY D BIPLANE, EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT AND SINGLE PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE LOWER ROD END OF THE RIGHT WING FORWARD INTERWING STRUT WHICH ATTACHED TO THE "I" STUT FAILED. THE UPPER END OF THE "I" STRUT THEN FAILED AT THE WELDED AREA. THE TOP RIGHT WING DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE WING WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY .3 MILES FROM THE IMPACT SITE. NO FIRE. NOTHING FOLLOWS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.