What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On feb 6, 2006 at about 1330 CST, the pilot and his passenger departed Wagner, SD airport (agz) for an IFR flight to an airport in Illinois (06C). The pilot departed to the west, flew over town, then began a climbing right turn toward the east. He selected GPS nav and engaged the autopilot. He expected the autopilot to continue in a right turn, but the autopilot initiated a left turn. The pilot disengaged the autopilot, but became disoriented in the clouds and noticed large changes in vertical speed. He elected to deploy the ballistic parachute. The aircraft came to rest in a field 2 miles east and 1/2 mile north of Wagner. Neither the pilot nor passenger was injured. The aircraft came to rest in an upright position and received damage to the landing gear and left wing. Later, the aircraft received further damage after being dragged by the parachute.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEB 6, 2006 AT ABOUT 1330 CST, THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER DEPARTED WAGNER, SD AIRPORT (AGZ) FOR AN IFR FLIGHT TO AN AIRPORT IN ILLINOIS (06C). THE PILOT DEPARTED TO THE WEST, FLEW OVER TOWN, THEN BEGAN A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN TOWARD THE EAST. HE SELECTED GPS NAV AND ENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT. HE EXPECTED THE AUTOPILOT TO CONTINUE IN A RIGHT TURN, BUT THE AUTOPILOT INITIATED A LEFT TURN. THE PILOT DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT, BUT BECAME DISORIENTED IN THE CLOUDS AND NOTICED LARGE CHANGES IN VERTICAL SPEED. HE ELECTED TO DEPLOY THE BALLISTIC PARACHUTE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A FIELD 2 MILES EAST AND 1/2 MILE NORTH OF WAGNER. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR PASSENGER WAS INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION AND RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR AND LEFT WING. LATER, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED FURTHER DAMAGE AFTER BEING DRAGGED BY THE PARACHUTE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.