What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 6, 2002 at approximately 1715 central daylight time, a yakovlev, yak 52, experimental-exhibition airplane, N5C, struck terrain while maneuvering near Aledo, Texas. The airplane, co-owned by the pilot and two other individuals, was operated under code of federal regulations part 91. The airline transport pilot and the passenger received fatal injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight departed hicks airfield, fort worth, Texas at an unknown time. Witnesses observed the airplane in maneuvers which they described as: stunts, barrel roll, side rolls, flips, turning to side to side, circles, upside down, spiral, a half-loop, and loops. During the last maneuver, which several witnesses described as a loop the airplane went straight down and struck the ground. Investigation of the accident scene revealed the aircraft struck the ground at approximately 60 degrees nose down creating a single impact point with no associated skid marks. A post crash fire consumed the cabin area and mid section of the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 6, 2002 AT APPROXIMATELY 1715 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A YAKOVLEV, YAK 52, EXPERIMENTAL-EXHIBITION AIRPLANE, N5C, STRUCK TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR ALEDO, TEXAS. THE AIRPLANE, CO-OWNED BY THE PILOT AND TWO OTHER INDIVIDUALS, WAS OPERATED UNDER CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES, AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED HICKS AIRFIELD, FORT WORTH, TEXAS AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IN MANEUVERS WHICH THEY DESCRIBED AS: STUNTS, BARREL ROLL, SIDE ROLLS, FLIPS, TURNING TO SIDE TO SIDE, CIRCLES, UPSIDE DOWN, SPIRAL, A HALF-LOOP, AND LOOPS. DURING THE LAST MANEUVER, WHICH SEVERAL WITNESSES DESCRIBED AS A LOOP THE AIRPLANE WENT STRAIGHT DOWN AND STRUCK THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY 60 DEGREES NOSE DOWN CREATING A SINGLE IMPACT POINT WITH NO ASSOCIATED SKID MARKS. A POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED THE CABIN AREA AND MID SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.