What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N470SP departed boire field in nashua, NH (ash) approximately at 0723 local on 8/25/2001. Runway 32 was used for the departure with no abnormalities reported by the tower controller on duty. At approximately 600 feet AGL the aircraft was observed by the controller to make a turn to the right resulting in a northerly heading. Approximately 4 minutes later the pilot of N470SP called nashua tower and requested help with locating the town of Amherst, NH. The pilot asked the controller if the town was located in the general vicinity of a green water tower that he had sighted. The tower controller suggested to the pilot of N470SP that he believed that Amherst was in the vicinity of the water tower but wasn't sure. The pilot acknowledged the info from the controller and no other communication contact followed. Eyewitnesses on the ground in Amherst, NH observed a single engine light aircraft flying extremely low and traveling at a high rate of speed starting approximately at 0728 local. Three eyewitnesses located in different locations in close proximity to high meadow lane observed a low flying aircraft flying a pattern consisting of left turns around the neighborhood. An eyewitness who resides at privacy data omitted observed the aircraft at tree top level behind her house making a steep left hand descending turn at a very high rate of speed. The aircraft disappeared from view behind the tree line and she heard a distinct "thumping" sound followed by ground shudder that shook her house. Another eyewitness proceeded to privacy data omitted and arrived within 3 minutes after he lost sight of the aircraft. Upon his arrival at approximately 0740 he observed that the residence was fully involved and not approachable due to the fire intensity. The office of the chief medical examiner of new hampshire completed an autopsy and determined that the manner of death was suicide caused by the plane crash.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N470SP DEPARTED BOIRE FIELD IN NASHUA, NH (ASH) APPROXIMATELY AT 0723 LOCAL ON 8/25/2001. RUNWAY 32 WAS USED FOR THE DEPARTURE WITH NO ABNORMALITIES REPORTED BY THE TOWER CONTROLLER ON DUTY. AT APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET AGL THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED BY THE CONTROLLER TO MAKE A TURN TO THE RIGHT RESULTING IN A NORTHERLY HEADING. APPROXIMATELY 4 MINUTES LATER THE PILOT OF N470SP CALLED NASHUA TOWER AND REQUESTED HELP WITH LOCATING THE TOWN OF AMHERST, NH. THE PILOT ASKED THE CONTROLLER IF THE TOWN WAS LOCATED IN THE GENERAL VICINITY OF A GREEN WATER TOWER THAT HE HAD SIGHTED. THE TOWER CONTROLLER SUGGESTED TO THE PILOT OF N470SP THAT HE BELIEVED THAT AMHERST WAS IN THE VICINITY OF THE WATER TOWER BUT WASN'T SURE. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE INFO FROM THE CONTROLLER AND NO OTHER COMMUNICATION CONTACT FOLLOWED. EYEWITNESSES ON THE GROUND IN AMHERST, NH OBSERVED A SINGLE ENGINE LIGHT AIRCRAFT FLYING EXTREMELY LOW AND TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED STARTING APPROXIMATELY AT 0728 LOCAL. THREE EYEWITNESSES LOCATED IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO HIGH MEADOW LANE OBSERVED A LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT FLYING A PATTERN CONSISTING OF LEFT TURNS AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AN EYEWITNESS WHO RESIDES AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT AT TREE TOP LEVEL BEHIND HER HOUSE MAKING A STEEP LEFT HAND DESCENDING TURN AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW BEHIND THE TREE LINE AND SHE HEARD A DISTINCT "THUMPING" SOUND FOLLOWED BY GROUND SHUDDER THAT SHOOK HER HOUSE. ANOTHER EYEWITNESS PROCEEDED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED AND ARRIVED WITHIN 3 MINUTES AFTER HE LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT. UPON HIS ARRIVAL AT APPROXIMATELY 0740 HE OBSERVED THAT THE RESIDENCE WAS FULLY INVOLVED AND NOT APPROACHABLE DUE TO THE FIRE INTENSITY. THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER OF NEW HAMPSHIRE COMPLETED AN AUTOPSY AND DETERMINED THAT THE MANNER OF DEATH WAS SUICIDE CAUSED BY THE PLANE CRASH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.