What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft was thoroughly examined by FAA iic and NTSB investigator with the assistance of local fire rescue. Aircraft came to rest in a pecan tree grove in the front yard of large residence. Aircraft did not appear to have clipped any tree branches on the way down which indicates the aircraft would have come vertically down through one hole in the vegetation. Aircraft impacted in a slightly nose down flat attitude. Tail section had sheared off but was lying exactly where it sheared in line with the fuselage. All control actuators and cables were still attached and in tact. Engine and propellor were examined and appeared normal with the propellor indicating substantial power on the engine at impact. Though fuel tank was compromised, there was a strong odor of fuel and some fuel still present in tank. The only abnormality was a trim indicator that had been broken for some time (control switch for trim is located on instrument panel). Additionally, elevator trim actuator was found to be in the full nose up position. NTSB removed the actuator for testing. Autopsy of pilot ruled out any physiological issues and the pilot was relatively healthy with evidence showing the cause of death as blunt force trauma to upper body.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT WAS THOROUGHLY EXAMINED BY FAA IIC AND NTSB INVESTIGATOR WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF LOCAL FIRE RESCUE. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A PECAN TREE GROVE IN THE FRONT YARD OF LARGE RESIDENCE. AIRCRAFT DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE CLIPPED ANY TREE BRANCHES ON THE WAY DOWN WHICH INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE COME VERTICALLY DOWN THROUGH ONE HOLE IN THE VEGETATION. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A SLIGHTLY NOSE DOWN FLAT ATTITUDE. TAIL SECTION HAD SHEARED OFF BUT WAS LYING EXACTLY WHERE IT SHEARED IN LINE WITH THE FUSELAGE. ALL CONTROL ACTUATORS AND CABLES WERE STILL ATTACHED AND IN TACT. ENGINE AND PROPELLOR WERE EXAMINED AND APPEARED NORMAL WITH THE PROPELLOR INDICATING SUBSTANTIAL POWER ON THE ENGINE AT IMPACT. THOUGH FUEL TANK WAS COMPROMISED, THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL AND SOME FUEL STILL PRESENT IN TANK. THE ONLY ABNORMALITY WAS A TRIM INDICATOR THAT HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR SOME TIME (CONTROL SWITCH FOR TRIM IS LOCATED ON INSTRUMENT PANEL). ADDITIONALLY, ELEVATOR TRIM ACTUATOR WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE FULL NOSE UP POSITION. NTSB REMOVED THE ACTUATOR FOR TESTING. AUTOPSY OF PILOT RULED OUT ANY PHYSIOLOGICAL ISSUES AND THE PILOT WAS RELATIVELY HEALTHY WITH EVIDENCE SHOWING THE CAUSE OF DEATH AS BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA TO UPPER BODY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.