What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft observed flying southwest then to lose something, continued flight for approximately 1 mile and then spun into ground. Just prior to the aircraft spinning a fairing belonging at the apex of the leading edge tubes ripped off and fell to the ground. The aircraft impacted the ground 100 yards up course from the fairing. There was gas in both float bowls and the propeller appears to have been damaged by impact while running. There was no post crash fire and the debris field was compact and restricted to the approximate wing span with the exception of the muffler which appears to have been slung by rotational forces. One wing attach and control cable was unattached and undamaged. The helmets came off while remaining latched.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT OBSERVED FLYING SOUTHWEST THEN TO LOSE SOMETHING, CONTINUED FLIGHT FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE AND THEN SPUN INTO GROUND. JUST PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT SPINNING A FAIRING BELONGING AT THE APEX OF THE LEADING EDGE TUBES RIPPED OFF AND FELL TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND 100 YARDS UP COURSE FROM THE FAIRING. THERE WAS GAS IN BOTH FLOAT BOWLS AND THE PROPELLER APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY IMPACT WHILE RUNNING. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE AND THE DEBRIS FIELD WAS COMPACT AND RESTRICTED TO THE APPROXIMATE WING SPAN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE MUFFLER WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN SLUNG BY ROTATIONAL FORCES. ONE WING ATTACH AND CONTROL CABLE WAS UNATTACHED AND UNDAMAGED. THE HELMETS CAME OFF WHILE REMAINING LATCHED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.