What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On December 9, 2001, about 1452 hours pacific standard time, an amateur built rominger, zic zac bird, N204ED, owned and operated by the pilot-builder, experienced an in-flight breakup approaching runway 29 at the Marina Municipal Airport, Marina, California. A witness reported observing the left wing separate from the airplane during the airplane's rollout turn onto the final approach leg. Thereafter, the airplane descended into an open field about 1 mile east of the airport. The airplane was destroyed, and the private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the personal flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was performed under 14 CFR part 91, and originated from Marina about 1445. The witness worked as a corporate pilot and was an acquaintance of the accident pilot. The witness stated that the wing separation occurred during a normal appearing turn about 800 feet above ground level. Thereafter, the airplane entered a vertical dive and roll. He stated that the accident pilot's experimental airplane had a total time between 5 and 15 hours on its airframe, which was composed of wood and fabric. The pilot's son reported that his father designed the airplane and it was a "one of a kind" airframe. The single seat, conventional gear airplane was constructed for personal reasons, and the pilot planned to compete for various speed and climb performance records for airplanes having gross weights less than 660 pounds. (-23) on approach to oar airport, a witness reported observing one of the wings separating from this aircraft. The aircraft crashed in an open field. The pilot was fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON DECEMBER 9, 2001, ABOUT 1452 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN AMATEUR BUILT ROMINGER, ZIC ZAC BIRD, N204ED, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT-BUILDER, EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP APPROACHING RUNWAY 29 AT THE MARINA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, MARINA, CALIFORNIA. A WITNESS REPORTED OBSERVING THE LEFT WING SEPARATE FROM THE AIRPLANE DURING THE AIRPLANE'S ROLLOUT TURN ONTO THE FINAL APPROACH LEG. THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 1 MILE EAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED, AND THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND ORIGINATED FROM MARINA ABOUT 1445. THE WITNESS WORKED AS A CORPORATE PILOT AND WAS AN ACQUAINTANCE OF THE ACCIDENT PILOT. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE WING SEPARATION OCCURRED DURING A NORMAL APPEARING TURN ABOUT 800 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A VERTICAL DIVE AND ROLL. HE STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT'S EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE HAD A TOTAL TIME BETWEEN 5 AND 15 HOURS ON ITS AIRFRAME, WHICH WAS COMPOSED OF WOOD AND FABRIC. THE PILOT'S SON REPORTED THAT HIS FATHER DESIGNED THE AIRPLANE AND IT WAS A "ONE OF A KIND" AIRFRAME. THE SINGLE SEAT, CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRPLANE WAS CONSTRUCTED FOR PERSONAL REASONS, AND THE PILOT PLANNED TO COMPETE FOR VARIOUS SPEED AND CLIMB PERFORMANCE RECORDS FOR AIRPLANES HAVING GROSS WEIGHTS LESS THAN 660 POUNDS. (-23) ON APPROACH TO OAR AIRPORT, A WITNESS REPORTED OBSERVING ONE OF THE WINGS SEPARATING FROM THIS AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.