What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Shortly after takeoff from an uncontrolled airport with clouds at about 1000 feet AGL, the pilot encountered rising terrain about 500 feet above airport elevation. Witnesses estimated the weather in that area to be about 1 mile visibility in fog and light rain with ceilings around 300 feet above the ground. The aircraft entered the base of the clouds, a witness reported hearing it pass over very low in a northerly direction and then saw it exit the clouds pointed straight down, just before it disappeared behind a ridge and exploded. The pilot, the only occupant of the aircraft was fatally injured. Post accident investigation did not reveal any obvious mechanical malfunction, there was no evidence of any structural failure before impact, the engine was developing power prior to impact. There was and intense post crash fire which destroyed everything but the metal parts.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT WITH CLOUDS AT ABOUT 1000 FEET AGL, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED RISING TERRAIN ABOUT 500 FEET ABOVE AIRPORT ELEVATION. WITNESSES ESTIMATED THE WEATHER IN THAT AREA TO BE ABOUT 1 MILE VISIBILITY IN FOG AND LIGHT RAIN WITH CEILINGS AROUND 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS, A WITNESS REPORTED HEARING IT PASS OVER VERY LOW IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION AND THEN SAW IT EXIT THE CLOUDS POINTED STRAIGHT DOWN, JUST BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED BEHIND A RIDGE AND EXPLODED. THE PILOT, THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS FATALLY INJURED. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY OBVIOUS MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY STRUCTURAL FAILURE BEFORE IMPACT, THE ENGINE WAS DEVELOPING POWER PRIOR TO IMPACT. THERE WAS AND INTENSE POST CRASH FIRE WHICH DESTROYED EVERYTHING BUT THE METAL PARTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.