What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During flight operations to comply with phase one amateur built flight test requirements, aircraft lost control, and crashed in a near vertical uncontrolled descent near Bryant Washington. Post crash fire destroyed the majority of the aircraft. Witnesses stated the aircraft was in the normal flight path leaving arlington Washington airport, when the aircraft suddenly started descending in a spiral or spin. Diagonal slash marks were noted on a tree at the crash site indicating engine operation before impact. The engine and propeller were inspected by the NTSB, FAA, and engine manufacturer representative on 12/9/2002. Fire damage was sustained by all engine accessories. The teardown found no conclusive evidence of power failure prior to the accident. NTSB will issue probable cause.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING FLIGHT OPERATIONS TO COMPLY WITH PHASE ONE AMATEUR BUILT FLIGHT TEST REQUIREMENTS, AIRCRAFT LOST CONTROL, AND CRASHED IN A NEAR VERTICAL UNCONTROLLED DESCENT NEAR BRYANT WASHINGTON. POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE MAJORITY OF THE AIRCRAFT. WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE NORMAL FLIGHT PATH LEAVING ARLINGTON WASHINGTON AIRPORT, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY STARTED DESCENDING IN A SPIRAL OR SPIN. DIAGONAL SLASH MARKS WERE NOTED ON A TREE AT THE CRASH SITE INDICATING ENGINE OPERATION BEFORE IMPACT. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE INSPECTED BY THE NTSB, FAA, AND ENGINE MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE ON 12/9/2002. FIRE DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED BY ALL ENGINE ACCESSORIES. THE TEARDOWN FOUND NO CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE OF POWER FAILURE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. NTSB WILL ISSUE PROBABLE CAUSE.