What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Upon takeoff from runway 32 at Norfolk International Airport (korf), the pilot notified the tower a door had come open. He requested to return and land. He flew left downwind at an altitude of approximately 200', initial airspeed at 100 KTS. On downwind, radar indicated his altitude remained at 200', and airspeed slowly decreased down to 70 KTS. His downwind was extended due to other traffic arriving at korf. The tower was to call his base leg. The tower called base leg, the pilot acknowledged, and that was the pilot's last radio call. Witnesses stated that the aircraft was in a nose high attitude and the aircraft appeared to be shaking. The aircraft then rolled over and went into the ground at a steep angle.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) UPON TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 32 AT NORFOLK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KORF), THE PILOT NOTIFIED THE TOWER A DOOR HAD COME OPEN. HE REQUESTED TO RETURN AND LAND. HE FLEW LEFT DOWNWIND AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 200', INITIAL AIRSPEED AT 100 KTS. ON DOWNWIND, RADAR INDICATED HIS ALTITUDE REMAINED AT 200', AND AIRSPEED SLOWLY DECREASED DOWN TO 70 KTS. HIS DOWNWIND WAS EXTENDED DUE TO OTHER TRAFFIC ARRIVING AT KORF. THE TOWER WAS TO CALL HIS BASE LEG. THE TOWER CALLED BASE LEG, THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED, AND THAT WAS THE PILOT'S LAST RADIO CALL. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AND THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE SHAKING. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROLLED OVER AND WENT INTO THE GROUND AT A STEEP ANGLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.