What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 2/8/2006, at approximately 1515 PST, zenith zodiac 601XL aircraft, N105RH, crashed approximately 1/4 mile northeast of dan donnely field (O27), Oakdale, CA, due to inflight structural failure. The owner pilot and flight instructor departed harry sham field (mod), modesto, CA enroute to O27 at approximately 1500 PST for an instructional flight. At approximately 1515 PDT, N105RH maneuvered 1 mile northeast of O27 at 800 feet AGL to 1000 feet AGL to enter left traffic for runway 10. When the aircraft was on a forty-five degree entry for the downwind leg and 1/2 mile from the airport, eyewitnesses on the ground observed the left wing collapse upward and fold back. N105RH pitched into a sixty degree nose down attitude and entered a spin to the right. The aircraft completed one 360 degree spin before the right wing collapsed upward and folded back. The wings remained attached to the fuselage. The aircraft impacted the ground in a sixty degree nose down attitude and exploded, fatally injuring both occupants. Fire destroyed the fuselage and wing roots.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 2/8/2006, AT APPROXIMATELY 1515 PST, ZENITH ZODIAC 601XL AIRCRAFT, N105RH, CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE NORTHEAST OF DAN DONNELY FIELD (O27), OAKDALE, CA, DUE TO INFLIGHT STRUCTURAL FAILURE. THE OWNER PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DEPARTED HARRY SHAM FIELD (MOD), MODESTO, CA ENROUTE TO O27 AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 PST FOR AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1515 PDT, N105RH MANEUVERED 1 MILE NORTHEAST OF O27 AT 800 FEET AGL TO 1000 FEET AGL TO ENTER LEFT TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 10. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A FORTY-FIVE DEGREE ENTRY FOR THE DOWNWIND LEG AND 1/2 MILE FROM THE AIRPORT, EYEWITNESSES ON THE GROUND OBSERVED THE LEFT WING COLLAPSE UPWARD AND FOLD BACK. N105RH PITCHED INTO A SIXTY DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND ENTERED A SPIN TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED ONE 360 DEGREE SPIN BEFORE THE RIGHT WING COLLAPSED UPWARD AND FOLDED BACK. THE WINGS REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A SIXTY DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND EXPLODED, FATALLY INJURING BOTH OCCUPANTS. FIRE DESTROYED THE FUSELAGE AND WING ROOTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.