What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 22, 2004, pilot took off from Decorah Municipal Airport, Decorah, Iowa, in a Cessna 172-E, N5410T. Witness at the airport stated that the weather was VFR and that he heard the pilot performing his run-up checks. The witness stated that the aircraft sounded as though it was not running to the required RPM for take off. Witness stated that he saw the aircraft attempt take off on the 4000 foot runway. The witness stated that during the take off he witnessed the aircraft enter the air and return to the runway twice before the aircraft achieved flight with little runway left and the aircraft achieved little altitude. Witness approximately 1 mile from the Decorah Municipal Airport stated that he saw the aircraft and that the engine was running rough without backfire. The aircraft was estimated at 300-400 feet AGL before flying to the north. Witnesses approximately 5 miles north of the airport witnesses the aircraft, which had no engine sound, nose dive into the ditch. The pilot received serious injuries, two passengers received fatal injuries. privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 22, 2004, PILOT TOOK OFF FROM DECORAH MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, DECORAH, IOWA, IN A CESSNA 172-E, N5410T. WITNESS AT THE AIRPORT STATED THAT THE WEATHER WAS VFR AND THAT HE HEARD THE PILOT PERFORMING HIS RUN-UP CHECKS. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT WAS NOT RUNNING TO THE REQUIRED RPM FOR TAKE OFF. WITNESS STATED THAT HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPT TAKE OFF ON THE 4000 FOOT RUNWAY. THE WITNESS STATED THAT DURING THE TAKE OFF HE WITNESSED THE AIRCRAFT ENTER THE AIR AND RETURN TO THE RUNWAY TWICE BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT ACHIEVED FLIGHT WITH LITTLE RUNWAY LEFT AND THE AIRCRAFT ACHIEVED LITTLE ALTITUDE. WITNESS APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE FROM THE DECORAH MUNICIPAL AIRPORT STATED THAT HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH WITHOUT BACKFIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ESTIMATED AT 300-400 FEET AGL BEFORE FLYING TO THE NORTH. WITNESSES APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT WITNESSES THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH HAD NO ENGINE SOUND, NOSE DIVE INTO THE DITCH. THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES, TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.