What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Mr. Charles dennis took off from tailwind airpark at 6:30 pm, 4/8/2010. At about 7;00 pm he initiated a turn to land at same airport. He heard a pop, and lost vertical control. He indicated he had directional control. He tried to deploy the brs after 2 seconds. It did not completely deploy, and he impacted some tree's 2 seconds later. The aircraft took out a 6 inch branch, and fell through the limbs to the ground. The pilot seat was within inches of the ground. The pilot had no injuries. I did note he was wearing a back support the next day, but he indicated that this was because he was 70 years old. There was continuity of all flight controls. The aileron cables were loose, but it appears that this was from impact damage. The elevators could not be moved, as the elevator was between two branches. The control tube was intact. The rudder would move with the controls. The aircraft is substantially damaged.
As the FAA filed it
MR. CHARLES DENNIS TOOK OFF FROM TAILWIND AIRPARK AT 6:30 PM, 4/8/2010. AT ABOUT 7;00 PM HE INITIATED A TURN TO LAND AT SAME AIRPORT. HE HEARD A POP, AND LOST VERTICAL CONTROL. HE INDICATED HE HAD DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. HE TRIED TO DEPLOY THE BRS AFTER 2 SECONDS. IT DID NOT COMPLETELY DEPLOY, AND HE IMPACTED SOME TREE'S 2 SECONDS LATER. THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OUT A 6 INCH BRANCH, AND FELL THROUGH THE LIMBS TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT SEAT WAS WITHIN INCHES OF THE GROUND. THE PILOT HAD NO INJURIES. I DID NOTE HE WAS WEARING A BACK SUPPORT THE NEXT DAY, BUT HE INDICATED THAT THIS WAS BECAUSE HE WAS 70 YEARS OLD. THERE WAS CONTINUITY OF ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE AILERON CABLES WERE LOOSE, BUT IT APPEARS THAT THIS WAS FROM IMPACT DAMAGE. THE ELEVATORS COULD NOT BE MOVED, AS THE ELEVATOR WAS BETWEEN TWO BRANCHES. THE CONTROL TUBE WAS INTACT. THE RUDDER WOULD MOVE WITH THE CONTROLS. THE AIRCRAFT IS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.