What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) An eyewitness stated he saw the aircraft enter a vertical climb. He looked away momentarily and when he looked back the aircraft was in a wings level attitude but in a spin. He heard the engine sound like it was revving up and down several times. According to the witness the aircraft failed to recover from the spin and impacted the ground. Investigation revealed the aircraft was approximately 120 pounds over gross weight and the center of gravity was beyond the aft limit for acrobatic operation. The last medical certificate was issued to the pilot 3/19/1985. Information received during the investigation indicated the pilot had triple by-pass heart surgery approximately 9 months prior to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AN EYEWITNESS STATED HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT ENTER A VERTICAL CLIMB. HE LOOKED AWAY MOMENTARILY AND WHEN HE LOOKED BACK THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE BUT IN A SPIN. HE HEARD THE ENGINE SOUND LIKE IT WAS REVVING UP AND DOWN SEVERAL TIMES. ACCORDING TO THE WITNESS THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO RECOVER FROM THE SPIN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 120 POUNDS OVER GROSS WEIGHT AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS BEYOND THE AFT LIMIT FOR ACROBATIC OPERATION. THE LAST MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS ISSUED TO THE PILOT 3/19/1985. INFORMATION RECEIVED DURING THE INVESTIGATION INDICATED THE PILOT HAD TRIPLE BY-PASS HEART SURGERY APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.