What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On August 11, 2002, at 2005 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N6658H, owned and piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed on impact with terrain and postcrash fire following a takeoff from a private airstrip near Hillman, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot was fatally injured. (-23) witness testimony indicates that N6658H was flying slow apparently maneuvering for an emergency landing. The aircraft then pitched nose down and right wing low just prior to impacting the surface in an approximately 45 degree nose down attitude. After impact, the aircraft burst into flames which consumed most of the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON AUGUST 11, 2002, AT 2005 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER J3C-65, N6658H, OWNED AND PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT WITH TERRAIN AND POSTCRASH FIRE FOLLOWING A TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR HILLMAN, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. (-23) WITNESS TESTIMONY INDICATES THAT N6658H WAS FLYING SLOW APPARENTLY MANEUVERING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT THEN PITCHED NOSE DOWN AND RIGHT WING LOW JUST PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE SURFACE IN AN APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AFTER IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT BURST INTO FLAMES WHICH CONSUMED MOST 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.
Other reports on N6658H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.