What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) One witness heard engine stop suddenly, followed by sound of aircraft hitting the ground. This witness indicated that the engine sounded normal to him, until the engine stopped suddenly. Another witness saw the airplane pull up steeply and then spiral towards the ground followed by an impact with the ground. Investigation of the accident scene showed no signs of aircraft fuel. Aircraft received substantial damage and pilot was deceased at the accident scene. Aircraft wreckage was consistent with high angle of impact and fuselage rotational forces at the time of ground contact. The pilot had purchased aircraft on 7-16-2003 and did not possess an agricultural operating certificate.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ONE WITNESS HEARD ENGINE STOP SUDDENLY, FOLLOWED BY SOUND OF AIRCRAFT HITTING THE GROUND. THIS WITNESS INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL TO HIM, UNTIL THE ENGINE STOPPED SUDDENLY. ANOTHER WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE PULL UP STEEPLY AND THEN SPIRAL TOWARDS THE GROUND FOLLOWED BY AN IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF AIRCRAFT FUEL. AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND PILOT WAS DECEASED AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH HIGH ANGLE OF IMPACT AND FUSELAGE ROTATIONAL FORCES AT THE TIME OF GROUND CONTACT. THE PILOT HAD PURCHASED AIRCRAFT ON 7-16-2003 AND DID NOT POSSESS AN AGRICULTURAL OPERATING CERTIFICATE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.