What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 1, 2001, at 1645 central daylight time, an experimental spears RV-6, N910RS, was destroyed by impact forces and subsequent ground fire about 1 mile west of Campbell Airport (C81), Grayslake, Illinois. The airplane departed controlled flight prior to ground impact. The private pilot received fatal injuries. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight had originated from roanoke, Texas, with C81 as the intended final destination. It is unknown where the airplane had last landed for refueling prior to proceeding to C81. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. A witness reported the airplane was flying at about 500 feet above ground level (AGL) and was circling towards the airport when the airplane "barreled" left, recover, and then the nose of the airplane went straight down. Another witness reported seeing the airplane circling before the airplane nose dived into the terrain. (-23) on August 31, 2001, at 1646 central daylight time, an experimental vans RV-6 spears, N910RS, was destroyed by impact forces and subsequent ground fire approximately 1 mile west of Campbell Airport (C81), Grayslake, IL. The private pilot, who was the only occupant, received fatal injuries. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight originated from roanoke, TX, with C81 as the intended final destination. It is unknown where the airplane had last landed for refueling prior to proceeding to C81. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. Several witnesses reported the airplane was flying slow and low, approximately 500 feet above the ground, and was circling towards the airport. One witness, who is an A&P mechanic wiht an inspection authorization at Campbell Airport, reported the aircraft appeared to have the flaps down several miles away from the airport. The aircraft entered a tight left turn, straightened out and then nosed straight down and exploded on impact with the ground. Burning fuel sprayed approximately 70 feet west of the impact area and burned a large area of the soybean field. The witnesses did not hear any unusual engine noises prior to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2001, AT 1645 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL SPEARS RV-6, N910RS, WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES AND SUBSEQUENT GROUND FIRE ABOUT 1 MILE WEST OF CAMPBELL AIRPORT (C81), GRAYSLAKE, ILLINOIS. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED CONTROLLED FLIGHT PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED FROM ROANOKE, TEXAS, WITH C81 AS THE INTENDED FINAL DESTINATION. IT IS UNKNOWN WHERE THE AIRPLANE HAD LAST LANDED FOR REFUELING PRIOR TO PROCEEDING TO C81. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. A WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING AT ABOUT 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) AND WAS CIRCLING TOWARDS THE AIRPORT WHEN THE AIRPLANE "BARRELED" LEFT, RECOVER, AND THEN THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE WENT STRAIGHT DOWN. ANOTHER WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE CIRCLING BEFORE THE AIRPLANE NOSE DIVED INTO THE TERRAIN. (-23) ON AUGUST 31, 2001, AT 1646 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL VANS RV-6 SPEARS, N910RS, WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES AND SUBSEQUENT GROUND FIRE APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE WEST OF CAMPBELL AIRPORT (C81), GRAYSLAKE, IL. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT, RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM ROANOKE, TX, WITH C81 AS THE INTENDED FINAL DESTINATION. IT IS UNKNOWN WHERE THE AIRPLANE HAD LAST LANDED FOR REFUELING PRIOR TO PROCEEDING TO C81. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING SLOW AND LOW, APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AND WAS CIRCLING TOWARDS THE AIRPORT. ONE WITNESS, WHO IS AN A&P MECHANIC WIHT AN INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION AT CAMPBELL AIRPORT, REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE THE FLAPS DOWN SEVERAL MILES AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A TIGHT LEFT TURN, STRAIGHTENED OUT AND THEN NOSED STRAIGHT DOWN AND EXPLODED ON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. BURNING FUEL SPRAYED APPROXIMATELY 70 FEET WEST OF THE IMPACT AREA AND BURNED A LARGE AREA OF THE SOYBEAN FIELD. THE WITNESSES DID NOT HEAR ANY UNUSUAL ENGINE NOISES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.