What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 0930, March 1, 2005, pilot privacy data omitted and one passenger departed runway 26 of Del Norte municipal airport. The wind was reported to be out of the west at approximately 10 knots. The aircraft climbed to about 150' and made a left turn, culminating in an easterly flight path between two buttes south of the airport. This flight path included rising terrain. As the aircraft encountered the rising terrain, the pilot attempted a right hand 180 degree turn. The aircraft turn radius brought it into the rising terrain of the southern butte. The aircraft impacted the southern butte. The aircraft shattered on impact. Concurrently, the aircraft fuel tank (located between the instrument panel and engine firewall) ruptured and an instantaneous conflagration ensued. The aircraft was destroyed and both persons on board were fatalities.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 0930, MARCH 1, 2005, PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND ONE PASSENGER DEPARTED RUNWAY 26 OF DEL NORTE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE OUT OF THE WEST AT APPROXIMATELY 10 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 150' AND MADE A LEFT TURN, CULMINATING IN AN EASTERLY FLIGHT PATH BETWEEN TWO BUTTES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. THIS FLIGHT PATH INCLUDED RISING TERRAIN. AS THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED THE RISING TERRAIN, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RIGHT HAND 180 DEGREE TURN. THE AIRCRAFT TURN RADIUS BROUGHT IT INTO THE RISING TERRAIN OF THE SOUTHERN BUTTE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE SOUTHERN BUTTE. THE AIRCRAFT SHATTERED ON IMPACT. CONCURRENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANK (LOCATED BETWEEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND ENGINE FIREWALL) RUPTURED AND AN INSTANTANEOUS CONFLAGRATION ENSUED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND BOTH PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALITIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.