What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft was observed in level flight with engine noise present. A short time later, the aircraft banked to the right, accompanied by a lack of engine noise, and was observed to spiral/spin straight down until it was out of sight. The aircraft struck the ground in a nearly vertical nose-down attitude. There was no evidence of pre-impact or post-impact fire. The main and header fuel tanks were broken up and there was no evidence of spilled fuel, or even an odor of fuel, at the site. No fuel was purchased from the facility operator at point lookout, m. graham clark airport (plk). The medical examiner reported that there was no evidence of fuel on the pilot's body.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED IN LEVEL FLIGHT WITH ENGINE NOISE PRESENT. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE AIRCRAFT BANKED TO THE RIGHT, ACCOMPANIED BY A LACK OF ENGINE NOISE, AND WAS OBSERVED TO SPIRAL/SPIN STRAIGHT DOWN UNTIL IT WAS OUT OF SIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NEARLY VERTICAL NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT OR POST-IMPACT FIRE. THE MAIN AND HEADER FUEL TANKS WERE BROKEN UP AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF SPILLED FUEL, OR EVEN AN ODOR OF FUEL, AT THE SITE. NO FUEL WAS PURCHASED FROM THE FACILITY OPERATOR AT POINT LOOKOUT, M. GRAHAM CLARK AIRPORT (PLK). THE MEDICAL EXAMINER REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL ON THE PILOT'S BODY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.