What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 22, 2009 at approx. 2:45 pm, N64422U, a Mooney M20C, s/n 2169, appears to have been piloted by the registered owner of a fire watch patrol, sustained substantial damage following an in-flight collision with trees, power transmission lines and terrain approximately 3 miles northwest of Elma, Washington. An after impact fire, destroyed the aircraft. The commercial pilot was deceased and the sole occupant. The crash site address is privacy data omitted. One witness observed smoke trailing from the airplane as it descended towards the trees and a second witness said he heard what sounded like a truck coming down the hill with jake brake on.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 22, 2009 AT APPROX. 2:45 PM, N64422U, A MOONEY M20C, S/N 2169, APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PILOTED BY THE REGISTERED OWNER OF A FIRE WATCH PATROL, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES, POWER TRANSMISSION LINES AND TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF ELMA, WASHINGTON. AN AFTER IMPACT FIRE, DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS DECEASED AND THE SOLE OCCUPANT. THE CRASH SITE ADDRESS IS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED SMOKE TRAILING FROM THE AIRPLANE AS IT DESCENDED TOWARDS THE TREES AND A SECOND WITNESS SAID HE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A TRUCK COMING DOWN THE HILL WITH JAKE BRAKE ON.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.