What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The experimental aircraft was on a pleasure flight near Warrenton airport. Ground reports were that the aircraft was circling off the airport and then impacted the ground. The aircraft landed inverted in the trees. The pilot survived the impact, but died on the way to the hospital. The engine was running when impact occurred and fuel was evident in the tank and on the ground around the aircraft. Witness reported the aircraft "circling in small circles at a sharp angle and descending at a steep angle."
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT WAS ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT NEAR WARRENTON AIRPORT. GROUND REPORTS WERE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS CIRCLING OFF THE AIRPORT AND THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED INVERTED IN THE TREES. THE PILOT SURVIVED THE IMPACT, BUT DIED ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING WHEN IMPACT OCCURRED AND FUEL WAS EVIDENT IN THE TANK AND ON THE GROUND AROUND THE AIRCRAFT. WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT "CIRCLING IN SMALL CIRCLES AT A SHARP ANGLE AND DESCENDING AT A STEEP ANGLE."
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.