What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 17, 2011, at 1614 central daylight time (CDT) a Christen Eagle II N38RC, registered to two private owners, was operating under title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 on a personal flight. The aircraft impacted terrain in a nose down attitude during maneuvering flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed by impact. There was no post crash fire though fuel was found in the fuel system. The two FAA certified commercial airmen were fatally injured due to the impact. The aircraft came to rest in an open field approximately 7.5 statute miles northwest of the San Angelo regional / mathis field in San Angelo, Texas. According to air traffic control in San Angelo, Texas, the aircraft received a clearance to taxi to runway 18. And was later cleared to takeoff on runway 18 at 16:02 CDT. The aircraft turned to the east initially and then proceeded in a northerly direction as it climbed to 3,000 feet mean sea level (MSL). The aircraft then turned in a westerly direction and climbed to 3,700 feet MSL according to the transponder information provided by midland, TX TRACON. The pilot was not in communication with midland TRACON. The airspace was uncontrolled and two way radio communication was not required. Radar information indicates the aircraft began a rapid descent from 4,700 feet MSL down to 2,400 feet MSL when radar returns were lost at 16:14:38 CDT. The surface elevation is between 2,000 and 2,400 feet MSL where the accident occurred.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 17, 2011, AT 1614 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT) A CHRISTEN EAGLE II N38RC, REGISTERED TO TWO PRIVATE OWNERS, WAS OPERATING UNDER TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE DURING MANEUVERING FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE THOUGH FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE TWO FAA CERTIFIED COMMERCIAL AIRMEN WERE FATALLY INJURED DUE TO THE IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN AN OPEN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 7.5 STATUTE MILES NORTHWEST OF THE SAN ANGELO REGIONAL / MATHIS FIELD IN SAN ANGELO, TEXAS. ACCORDING TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL IN SAN ANGELO, TEXAS, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED A CLEARANCE TO TAXI TO RUNWAY 18. AND WAS LATER CLEARED TO TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 18 AT 16:02 CDT. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED TO THE EAST INITIALLY AND THEN PROCEEDED IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION AS IT CLIMBED TO 3,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL). THE AIRCRAFT THEN TURNED IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION AND CLIMBED TO 3,700 FEET MSL ACCORDING TO THE TRANSPONDER INFORMATION PROVIDED BY MIDLAND, TX TRACON. THE PILOT WAS NOT IN COMMUNICATION WITH MIDLAND TRACON. THE AIRSPACE WAS UNCONTROLLED AND TWO WAY RADIO COMMUNICATION WAS NOT REQUIRED. RADAR INFORMATION INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A RAPID DESCENT FROM 4,700 FEET MSL DOWN TO 2,400 FEET MSL WHEN RADAR RETURNS WERE LOST AT 16:14:38 CDT. THE SURFACE ELEVATION IS BETWEEN 2,000 AND 2,400 FEET MSL WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.