What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 6, 2003 aircraft N321TR, an experimental amateur homebuilt aircraft was operating in the local area of Blounts Creek, NC when aircraft impacted the terrain in a field approximately 150 yards from the owners private air field. The aircraft was owned and operated by a certificated private pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. According to one witness the aircraft appeared to be turning left on a base leg for a private airstrip when the left wing deflected downward and the aircraft descended into the ground nose first. (-23 amendment) examination of the wreckage along with an interview with the pilot's brother revealed that the owner of the aircraft had attached an additional weights of 6 pounds for ballast to the horizontal stab support fittings to correct a nose heavy condition. According to the designated airworthiness representative that certificated the aircraft, the additional weights were not installed at the time of certification in November 2003. Pilot had approximately 3.4 hours of operating time with the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 6, 2003 AIRCRAFT N321TR, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING IN THE LOCAL AREA OF BLOUNTS CREEK, NC WHEN AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 150 YARDS FROM THE OWNERS PRIVATE AIR FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY A CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO ONE WITNESS THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE TURNING LEFT ON A BASE LEG FOR A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP WHEN THE LEFT WING DEFLECTED DOWNWARD AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO THE GROUND NOSE FIRST. (-23 AMENDMENT) EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE ALONG WITH AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT'S BROTHER REVEALED THAT THE OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD ATTACHED AN ADDITIONAL WEIGHTS OF 6 POUNDS FOR BALLAST TO THE HORIZONTAL STAB SUPPORT FITTINGS TO CORRECT A NOSE HEAVY CONDITION. ACCORDING TO THE DESIGNATED AIRWORTHINESS REPRESENTATIVE THAT CERTIFICATED THE AIRCRAFT, THE ADDITIONAL WEIGHTS WERE NOT INSTALLED AT THE TIME OF CERTIFICATION IN NOVEMBER 2003. PILOT HAD APPROXIMATELY 3.4 HOURS OF OPERATING TIME WITH 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.