What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft accident site examination indicated that pilot may have entered a low speed stall/spin at low altitude. Wreckage indicated a low speed, near vertical impact with the ground. Aircraft flight control surfaces were accounted for and all flight controls were functional at time of impact. Accident site is at the top of a mountain with gradually sloping terrain. Elevation is approx. 11,500 ft. debris field was minimal (less than 20 foot radius). Surrounding trees (20-30 feet tall, 4-6 inches in dia.) Showed no signs of damage at their tops, however, limbs of 2-3 trees showed shearing vertically at the base of the limbs. Weather conditions at time of the accident were: winds calm to light from the south, visibility 10 mi+, no turbulence and very little lift (as reported by other pilots flying in the area at the time of the accident).
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT SITE EXAMINATION INDICATED THAT PILOT MAY HAVE ENTERED A LOW SPEED STALL/SPIN AT LOW ALTITUDE. WRECKAGE INDICATED A LOW SPEED, NEAR VERTICAL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES WERE ACCOUNTED FOR AND ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE FUNCTIONAL AT TIME OF IMPACT. ACCIDENT SITE IS AT THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN WITH GRADUALLY SLOPING TERRAIN. ELEVATION IS APPROX. 11,500 FT. DEBRIS FIELD WAS MINIMAL (LESS THAN 20 FOOT RADIUS). SURROUNDING TREES (20-30 FEET TALL, 4-6 INCHES IN DIA.) SHOWED NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE AT THEIR TOPS, HOWEVER, LIMBS OF 2-3 TREES SHOWED SHEARING VERTICALLY AT THE BASE OF THE LIMBS. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE: WINDS CALM TO LIGHT FROM THE SOUTH, VISIBILITY 10 MI+, NO TURBULENCE AND VERY LITTLE LIFT (AS REPORTED BY OTHER PILOTS FLYING IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.