What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 9/01/2004, at 1710 CST a cassutt iii m (N3TW) crashed 1/4 mile se of klvj pearland regional airport. The aircraft was piloted by michael gerald bernard, who sustained fatal injuries. There was no post crash fire. The aircraft had departed klvj at 1835CST and the pilot was doing touch and go landings. The aircraft was observed by a witness who stated the aircraft descended rapidly with the nose down and rotating about the roll axis until it struck the ground. The aircraft had been observed by 2 witnesses making steep turns 60 to 80 degrees of bank in the traffic pattern. The aircraft struck the ground at a 70 to 80 degree angle nose down.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 9/01/2004, AT 1710 CST A CASSUTT III M (N3TW) CRASHED 1/4 MILE SE OF KLVJ PEARLAND REGIONAL AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PILOTED BY MICHAEL GERALD BERNARD, WHO SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED KLVJ AT 1835CST AND THE PILOT WAS DOING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED BY A WITNESS WHO STATED THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY WITH THE NOSE DOWN AND ROTATING ABOUT THE ROLL AXIS UNTIL IT STRUCK THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN OBSERVED BY 2 WITNESSES MAKING STEEP TURNS 60 TO 80 DEGREES OF BANK IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND AT A 70 TO 80 DEGREE ANGLE NOSE DOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.