What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft was circling a lake cabin a short distance from the airport, then proceeded toward the airport to land. He was on a close-in downwind approach at a low altitude when he attempted a sharp 180 degree turn to final. The outside air temperature was about 100 degrees. The aircraft was observed to make a steep banked 180 degree left turn to final when it abruptly descended left wing low (characteristic of an accelerated stall) and collided with trees and the terrain approximately 200 yards short of the runway. Witnesses reported hearing the sound of the engine during the entire maneuver.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS CIRCLING A LAKE CABIN A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE AIRPORT, THEN PROCEEDED TOWARD THE AIRPORT TO LAND. HE WAS ON A CLOSE-IN DOWNWIND APPROACH AT A LOW ALTITUDE WHEN HE ATTEMPTED A SHARP 180 DEGREE TURN TO FINAL. THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 100 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A STEEP BANKED 180 DEGREE LEFT TURN TO FINAL WHEN IT ABRUPTLY DESCENDED LEFT WING LOW (CHARACTERISTIC OF AN ACCELERATED STALL) AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE DURING THE ENTIRE MANEUVER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.