What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N7502K, collided with a tree while maneuvering at a very low altitude about 4 miles east of Sandy, OR. The student pilot, owner, operator, & pilot-in-command, received fatal injuries. The pax, holder of a private pilot certificate, received serious injuries. The part 91 VFR flight departed madras, Oregon, about 90 minutes earlier & had entered an area of instrument meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed. An automobile driver, heading west on hwy 26 stated that the a/c had flown low over his car a short distance east of the accident site. At the time, this witness estimated the a/c was about 200 feet above the highway, & saw the a/c going in & out of the fog & clouds. The witness said that it appeared that the pilot was trying to follow the road. He also said that when the a/c passed over, there was a hard, steady rain.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N7502K, COLLIDED WITH A TREE WHILE MANEUVERING AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE ABOUT 4 MILES EAST OF SANDY, OR. THE STUDENT PILOT, OWNER, OPERATOR, & PILOT-IN-COMMAND, RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE PAX, HOLDER OF A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE, RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE PART 91 VFR FLIGHT DEPARTED MADRAS, OREGON, ABOUT 90 MINUTES EARLIER & HAD ENTERED AN AREA OF INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. AN AUTOMOBILE DRIVER, HEADING WEST ON HWY 26 STATED THAT THE A/C HAD FLOWN LOW OVER HIS CAR A SHORT DISTANCE EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. AT THE TIME, THIS WITNESS ESTIMATED THE A/C WAS ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE HIGHWAY, & SAW THE A/C GOING IN & OUT OF THE FOG & CLOUDS. THE WITNESS SAID THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE PILOT WAS TRYING TO FOLLOW THE ROAD. HE ALSO SAID THAT WHEN THE A/C PASSED OVER, THERE WAS A HARD, STEADY RAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.