What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While departing from a 2400 foot grass strip, which is located in a heavily wooded are at Angle inlet, MN., the engine began to miss and lose power. The pilot stated that the engine recovered briefly before it again started to backfire severely and lost all power. The pilot shut off the master switch as the aircraft settled into the trees and stated that he elected to hit a tall tree with one wing in order to break the forward motion and slow the aircraft. The aircraft spun around approximately 270 degrees while settling into the trees. The front portion of the engine compartment sustained fire damage after the crash.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE DEPARTING FROM A 2400 FOOT GRASS STRIP, WHICH IS LOCATED IN A HEAVILY WOODED ARE AT ANGLE INLET, MN., THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISS AND LOSE POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE RECOVERED BRIEFLY BEFORE IT AGAIN STARTED TO BACKFIRE SEVERELY AND LOST ALL POWER. THE PILOT SHUT OFF THE MASTER SWITCH AS THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES AND STATED THAT HE ELECTED TO HIT A TALL TREE WITH ONE WING IN ORDER TO BREAK THE FORWARD MOTION AND SLOW THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AROUND APPROXIMATELY 270 DEGREES WHILE SETTLING INTO THE TREES. THE FRONT PORTION OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SUSTAINED FIRE DAMAGE AFTER THE CRASH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.