What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 23, 2010, pilot privacy data omitted flew N216TB, an experimental Warth thorp S-18, on a maintenance test flight around the Tea, SD airport. According to eye witnesses the aircraft took off and about 400-500 AGL the engine lost power. The pilot tried to make a turn and land back at the airport he just took off from. While in the turn the aircraft stalled and then impacted the ground. The weather was VFR and no flight plan had been filed. The aircraft was destroyed and there was 1 fatality. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 23, 2010, PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLEW N216TB, AN EXPERIMENTAL WARTH THORP S-18, ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT AROUND THE TEA, SD AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO EYE WITNESSES THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF AND ABOUT 400-500 AGL THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT TRIED TO MAKE A TURN AND LAND BACK AT THE AIRPORT HE JUST TOOK OFF FROM. WHILE IN THE TURN THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE WEATHER WAS VFR AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THERE WAS 1 FATALITY. THE PILOT HELD A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.