What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The accident involved a 2 place ultralight aircraft a cobe mark 3. At the time of the accident the pilot and passenger were taking a pleasure flight to appalachicola Florida for pleasure. The investigation revealed that the engine had quit and the pilot attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft hit the ground at a very steep angle which resulted in the fatality of both pilot and passenger. Inspector's statement: the aircraft was unregistered and the pilot did not have an eaa endorsement to give instruction in the aircraft. The accident aircraft involved was a two place ultralight aircraft model kolb mark iii. At the time of the accident the pilot and passenger were taking a pleasure flight to appalachicola Florida for pleasure. The investigation revealed that the engine had quit and the pilot atttempted an emergency landing. The aircraft hit the ground at a very steep angle which resulted in the fatality of both pilot and passenger. Inspected aircraft for flight control for continuity and found ok. The aircraft had 3 fuel tanks, two plastic tanks behind the seats and a header tank in the center of the wings. The plastic tanks had about 9 gallons left. The header tank was empty. The fuel switch was on the two plastic tanks. The engine fuel system had fuel in the bowls and the fuel screen was clean. (Engine model Rotax 582). The engine spark plugs were ok. The engine electrical system was ok. The prop had minor damage from the impact but no indication of rotation could be found. Witness stated that the pilot started the aircraft up and took off without warming the engine up as required by the manufacturer, which may have resulted in the engine failure. The flight log and maintenance log found on the accident site revealed that the aircraft flew 12 minutes before impact with the ground. Aircraft destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE ACCIDENT INVOLVED A 2 PLACE ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT A COBE MARK 3. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE TAKING A PLEASURE FLIGHT TO APPALACHICOLA FLORIDA FOR PLEASURE. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD QUIT AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND AT A VERY STEEP ANGLE WHICH RESULTED IN THE FATALITY OF BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER. INSPECTOR'S STATEMENT: THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNREGISTERED AND THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE AN EAA ENDORSEMENT TO GIVE INSTRUCTION IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT INVOLVED WAS A TWO PLACE ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT MODEL KOLB MARK III. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE TAKING A PLEASURE FLIGHT TO APPALACHICOLA FLORIDA FOR PLEASURE. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD QUIT AND THE PILOT ATTTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND AT A VERY STEEP ANGLE WHICH RESULTED IN THE FATALITY OF BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER. INSPECTED AIRCRAFT FOR FLIGHT CONTROL FOR CONTINUITY AND FOUND OK. THE AIRCRAFT HAD 3 FUEL TANKS, TWO PLASTIC TANKS BEHIND THE SEATS AND A HEADER TANK IN THE CENTER OF THE WINGS. THE PLASTIC TANKS HAD ABOUT 9 GALLONS LEFT. THE HEADER TANK WAS EMPTY. THE FUEL SWITCH WAS ON THE TWO PLASTIC TANKS. THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM HAD FUEL IN THE BOWLS AND THE FUEL SCREEN WAS CLEAN. (ENGINE MODEL ROTAX 582). THE ENGINE SPARK PLUGS WERE OK. THE ENGINE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS OK. THE PROP HAD MINOR DAMAGE FROM THE IMPACT BUT NO INDICATION OF ROTATION COULD BE FOUND. WITNESS STATED THAT THE PILOT STARTED THE AIRCRAFT UP AND TOOK OFF WITHOUT WARMING THE ENGINE UP AS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER, WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE FLIGHT LOG AND MAINTENANCE LOG FOUND ON THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FLEW 12 MINUTES BEFORE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT DESTROYED.