What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Actual registration number is NC3687M. Owner cfr/atp completed bfr for PIC, this flight was for tail-wheel endorsement. On approach to rwy 35 aircraft clipped tops of trees 400 ft from rwy. Both pilots reacted by pulling stick back as aircraft right wing struck tree, subsequent stall resulting in impact of left wing and fuselage with terrain facing away from runway. Both pilots sustained minor cuts and bruises. Propeller shows rotational energy on one blade bent forward 30 deg with quarter size notch out of leading edge at 18 in station. Fuel was observed leaking out of ruptured wing tank during evacuation, and later by fire dept. On the following morning fuel was still observed leaking at crash site by Texas dept. Of public safety officer who is also a pilot and A&P mechanic. During interview with CFI by FAA inspector, he stated that he could not tell they were too low until tree limbs were heard and felt against the fuselage. The instructor was unable to see the end of the rwy or instruments over the PIC back. In a telephone interview with the PIC by the FAA inspector, the pilot also stated that he was not aware of the proximity of the trees on approach until he heard them against the fuselage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ACTUAL REGISTRATION NUMBER IS NC3687M. OWNER CFR/ATP COMPLETED BFR FOR PIC, THIS FLIGHT WAS FOR TAIL-WHEEL ENDORSEMENT. ON APPROACH TO RWY 35 AIRCRAFT CLIPPED TOPS OF TREES 400 FT FROM RWY. BOTH PILOTS REACTED BY PULLING STICK BACK AS AIRCRAFT RIGHT WING STRUCK TREE, SUBSEQUENT STALL RESULTING IN IMPACT OF LEFT WING AND FUSELAGE WITH TERRAIN FACING AWAY FROM RUNWAY. BOTH PILOTS SUSTAINED MINOR CUTS AND BRUISES. PROPELLER SHOWS ROTATIONAL ENERGY ON ONE BLADE BENT FORWARD 30 DEG WITH QUARTER SIZE NOTCH OUT OF LEADING EDGE AT 18 IN STATION. FUEL WAS OBSERVED LEAKING OUT OF RUPTURED WING TANK DURING EVACUATION, AND LATER BY FIRE DEPT. ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING FUEL WAS STILL OBSERVED LEAKING AT CRASH SITE BY TEXAS DEPT. OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER WHO IS ALSO A PILOT AND A&P MECHANIC. DURING INTERVIEW WITH CFI BY FAA INSPECTOR, HE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT TELL THEY WERE TOO LOW UNTIL TREE LIMBS WERE HEARD AND FELT AGAINST THE FUSELAGE. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE END OF THE RWY OR INSTRUMENTS OVER THE PIC BACK. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH THE PIC BY THE FAA INSPECTOR, THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROXIMITY OF THE TREES ON APPROACH UNTIL HE HEARD THEM AGAINST THE FUSELAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.