What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft (N5618U) flown by the pilot privacy data omitted took off from the bandon State airport at approximately 1220L and crashed at 1248L. The aircraft was observed at tree-top level on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern at bandon State airport (S05). Shortly thereafter the aircraft was observed to be in a very steep bank from downwind to base legs. The next eyewitness observations were from people located just northwest of the crash site. privacy data omitted Observed the aircraft being flown at or below treetop level headed southbound (final leg of traffic pattern) and then the aircraft pulled up and went near vertical on the bank angle (90 degrees of bank), then descended again behind trees and crashed. Another eyewitness privacy data omitted stated she saw the aircraft in a near vertical dive with the nose of the aircraft pointed just slightly southbound.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT (N5618U) FLOWN BY THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMIT^ TOOK OFF FROM THE BANDON STATE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1220L AND CRASHED AT 1248L. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED AT TREE-TOP LEVEL ON THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT BANDON STATE AIRPORT (S05). SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO BE IN A VERY STEEP BANK FROM DOWNWIND TO BASE LEGS. THE NEXT EYEWITNESS OBSERVATIONS WERE FROM PEOPLE LOCATED JUST NORTHWEST OF THE CRASH SITE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^ OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT BEING FLOWN AT OR BELOW TREETOP LEVEL HEADED SOUTHBOUND (FINAL LEG OF TRAFFIC PATTERN) AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT PULLED UP AND WENT NEAR VERTICAL ON THE BANK ANGLE (90 DEGREES OF BANK), THEN DESCENDED AGAIN BEHIND TREES AND CRASHED. ANOTHER EYEWITNESS ^PRIVACY DATA OM^ STATED SHE SAW THE AIRCRAFT IN A NEAR VERTICAL DIVE WITH THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT POINTED JUST SLIGHTLY SOUTHBOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.