What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 31, 2009, at approximately 1510 local, a Bellanca/8KCAB departed olive branch airport (olv) on a local flight. At approximately 1525 local, the aircraft crashed in somerville, Tennessee, located at 35°06’64” n latitude 89°06’66” w longitude. A witness stated that the aircraft was vertical, going straight up, and then nosed over to the right and went straight down. When the aircraft went below the tree line, the witness heard a loud thud. Further evidence confirmed that the aircraft was in a high angle, high speed, and nose down attitude with the debris field confined to a limited area. The aircraft entered the trees and then impacted the ground which resulted in a total breakup of the aircraft. The engine came to rest within 6 ft of the impact location, near the edge of a pond. The remainder of the aircraft came to rest within the shallow water area of the pond. The engine appeared to have been producing power upon impact based upon the ground scars. All flight controls, cables, and linkages were positively identified. Maintenance records for the aircraft showed that all maintenance, inspections, and airworthiness directives had been complied with prior to the accident. The pilot had a current airman certificate and medical certification.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 31, 2009, AT APPROXIMATELY 1510 LOCAL, A BELLANCA/8KCAB DEPARTED OLIVE BRANCH AIRPORT (OLV) ON A LOCAL FLIGHT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1525 LOCAL, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN SOMERVILLE, TENNESSEE, LOCATED AT 35°06’64” N LATITUDE 89°06’66” W LONGITUDE. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS VERTICAL, GOING STRAIGHT UP, AND THEN NOSED OVER TO THE RIGHT AND WENT STRAIGHT DOWN. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WENT BELOW THE TREE LINE, THE WITNESS HEARD A LOUD THUD. FURTHER EVIDENCE CONFIRMED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A HIGH ANGLE, HIGH SPEED, AND NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WITH THE DEBRIS FIELD CONFINED TO A LIMITED AREA. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE TREES AND THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND WHICH RESULTED IN A TOTAL BREAKUP OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE ENGINE CAME TO REST WITHIN 6 FT OF THE IMPACT LOCATION, NEAR THE EDGE OF A POND. THE REMAINDER OF THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST WITHIN THE SHALLOW WATER AREA OF THE POND. THE ENGINE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN PRODUCING POWER UPON IMPACT BASED UPON THE GROUND SCARS. ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS, CABLES, AND LINKAGES WERE POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED. MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED THAT ALL MAINTENANCE, INSPECTIONS, AND AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT HAD A CURRENT AIRMAN CERTIFICATE AND MEDICAL CERTIFICATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.