What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The following is from a witness statement: the airplane departed on runway 35 (north runway) and climbed to approximately 50 feet. The pilot was slumped forward, almost touching the windscreen, and did not wave or move. The airplane near the end of the 2,500 foot grass strip pulled up and continued to steeply climb. At approximately 150 feet altitude the airplane pitched down. The airplane continued pitched down and struck the ground approximately 1,000 feet from the end of the runway. The airplane was engulfed in flames by the time the witness reached the site. The ballistic parachute was deployed by the heat after the witness arrived. The following is from the on site investigation: the airplane continued 48 feet from it's initial point of contact with the ground. The airplane came to a stop after striking a tree, fence line and ridge of dirt.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE FOLLOWING IS FROM A WITNESS STATEMENT: THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED ON RUNWAY 35 (NORTH RUNWAY) AND CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET. THE PILOT WAS SLUMPED FORWARD, ALMOST TOUCHING THE WINDSCREEN, AND DID NOT WAVE OR MOVE. THE AIRPLANE NEAR THE END OF THE 2,500 FOOT GRASS STRIP PULLED UP AND CONTINUED TO STEEPLY CLIMB. AT APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET ALTITUDE THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED PITCHED DOWN AND STRUCK THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES BY THE TIME THE WITNESS REACHED THE SITE. THE BALLISTIC PARACHUTE WAS DEPLOYED BY THE HEAT AFTER THE WITNESS ARRIVED. THE FOLLOWING IS FROM THE ON SITE INVESTIGATION: THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED 48 FEET FROM IT'S INITIAL POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP AFTER STRIKING A TREE, FENCE LINE AND RIDGE OF DIRT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.