What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N72PC, an experimental amateur built busby mustang ii was on a day VFR flight in the Plant City, Florida area. According to several witnesses in the immediate area, the aircraft was flying low and the engine was sputtering. Eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft then turned back towards the airport. Following the turn the engine quit over a large section of oak trees. The aircraft was then reported to have made a sharp dive into the trees from approximately 400 feet AGL. The aircraft dove between 2 large oak limbs and both wings were taken off at the fuselage attachment. The aircraft impacted the ground on its nose, rolling over and ending up inverted. There was no post crash fire. Both the pilot and the passenger sustained fatal injuries
As the FAA filed it
N72PC, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT BUSBY MUSTANG II WAS ON A DAY VFR FLIGHT IN THE PLANT CITY, FLORIDA AREA. ACCORDING TO SEVERAL WITNESSES IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING LOW AND THE ENGINE WAS SPUTTERING. EYEWITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT THEN TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT. FOLLOWING THE TURN THE ENGINE QUIT OVER A LARGE SECTION OF OAK TREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN REPORTED TO HAVE MADE A SHARP DIVE INTO THE TREES FROM APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET AGL. THE AIRCRAFT DOVE BETWEEN 2 LARGE OAK LIMBS AND BOTH WINGS WERE TAKEN OFF AT THE FUSELAGE ATTACHMENT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND ON ITS NOSE, ROLLING OVER AND ENDING UP INVERTED. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. BOTH THE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.