What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft N8938C, piloted by privacy data omitted departed tvl on 08/05/2007 at approximately 0930 local. Witnesses observed the aircraft trying to climb in a nose high attitude, battling winds gusting to 27 KTS, while heading in a southerly direction. Other witnesses stated that the aircraft continued to try and climb while rolling back and forth about the longitudinal axis, nose high, and in an observed high wind and down draft area. At this point the pilot made a sharp right bank and headed back for the airport (tvl) continuing to settle with nose high attitude. The aircraft contacted several 150' to 200' tree tops and crashed, with post impact fire, 1.3 nautical miles south of the airport. The pilot suffered fatal injuries and the passenger is listed in critical condition.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT N8938C, PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED TVL ON 08/05/2007 AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 LOCAL. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TRYING TO CLIMB IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, BATTLING WINDS GUSTING TO 27 KTS, WHILE HEADING IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION. OTHER WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TRY AND CLIMB WHILE ROLLING BACK AND FORTH ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS, NOSE HIGH, AND IN AN OBSERVED HIGH WIND AND DOWN DRAFT AREA. AT THIS POINT THE PILOT MADE A SHARP RIGHT BANK AND HEADED BACK FOR THE AIRPORT (TVL) CONTINUING TO SETTLE WITH NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED SEVERAL 150' TO 200' TREE TOPS AND CRASHED, WITH POST IMPACT FIRE, 1.3 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER IS LISTED IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.