What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On Sunday 06/09/2002 at approximately 1130 I received a report of a possible ultra light accident with a fatality from the primary accident investigator. As this accident was initially deemed an ultra light accident, I did not respond. The accident site was handled by skamania county sheriff deputy chris helton. When I returned to work on Tuesday, 06/11/2002, and talked to NTSB investigator, gregg nesemeier, it was determined that the quicksilver MSL ii did not fit into the part 103 requirements for an ultra light and was actually an unregistered part 91 aircraft. I proceeded to the clark county coroner's office to deliver a toxicology kit and then to the skamania county sheriff's office to meet deputy chris helton and proceed to hemlock storage area to check on the remains of the aircraft. The aircraft was destroyed. The engine appeared to be operational and there appeared to be continuity in the control surfaces that were not damaged by the accident. In talking with deputy helton and reading his report, that included statements of witnesses, it appears that the aircraft was airworthy and the engine was working properly. The wind in the columbia gorge was blowing from the west at 20 to 30 knots with gusts to 50 knots. Mr. Bartell was flying toward the east and when he attempted to land down wind he was probably going 60 to 70 knots upon impact. One of the witnesses stated that she was traveling at 45 mph and he went past her. In researching the performance characteristics of the airplane, it was noted by one person familiar with the aircraft that it did not perform well in windy conditions. Also if the aircraft was experiencing 30 and 40 knot gusts over the wings, it is possible that the relative wind over the wing could have actually been a negative value which would account for witnesses noting that Mr. Bartell was having trouble maintaining altitude.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON SUNDAY 06/09/2002 AT APPROXIMATELY 1130 I RECEIVED A REPORT OF A POSSIBLE ULTRA LIGHT ACCIDENT WITH A FATALITY FROM THE PRIMARY ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR. AS THIS ACCIDENT WAS INITIALLY DEEMED AN ULTRA LIGHT ACCIDENT, I DID NOT RESPOND. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS HANDLED BY SKAMANIA COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTY CHRIS HELTON. WHEN I RETURNED TO WORK ON TUESDAY, 06/11/2002, AND TALKED TO NTSB INVESTIGATOR, GREGG NESEMEIER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE QUICKSILVER MSL II DID NOT FIT INTO THE PART 103 REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ULTRA LIGHT AND WAS ACTUALLY AN UNREGISTERED PART 91 AIRCRAFT. I PROCEEDED TO THE CLARK COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE TO DELIVER A TOXICOLOGY KIT AND THEN TO THE SKAMANIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO MEET DEPUTY CHRIS HELTON AND PROCEED TO HEMLOCK STORAGE AREA TO CHECK ON THE REMAINS OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE ENGINE APPEARED TO BE OPERATIONAL AND THERE APPEARED TO BE CONTINUITY IN THE CONTROL SURFACES THAT WERE NOT DAMAGED BY THE ACCIDENT. IN TALKING WITH DEPUTY HELTON AND READING HIS REPORT, THAT INCLUDED STATEMENTS OF WITNESSES, IT APPEARS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRWORTHY AND THE ENGINE WAS WORKING PROPERLY. THE WIND IN THE COLUMBIA GORGE WAS BLOWING FROM THE WEST AT 20 TO 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 50 KNOTS. MR. BARTELL WAS FLYING TOWARD THE EAST AND WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND DOWN WIND HE WAS PROBABLY GOING 60 TO 70 KNOTS UPON IMPACT. ONE OF THE WITNESSES STATED THAT SHE WAS TRAVELING AT 45 MPH AND HE WENT PAST HER. IN RESEARCHING THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIRPLANE, IT WAS NOTED BY ONE PERSON FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRCRAFT THAT IT DID NOT PERFORM WELL IN WINDY CONDITIONS. ALSO IF THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXPERIENCING 30 AND 40 KNOT GUSTS OVER THE WINGS, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE RELATIVE WIND OVER THE WING COULD HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN A NEGATIVE VALUE WHICH WOULD ACCOUNT FOR WITNESSES NOTING THAT MR. BARTELL WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING ALTITUDE.