What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 11, 2011 privacy data omitted a non-certificated pilot, departed from etowah bend (8GA7) airport located in Kingston, GA for a local VFR flight. The aircraft N533BK is a 1999 Flightstar sl-ii experimental light sport aircraft registered to privacy data omitted. During the cruise phase of flight privacy data omitted stated he flown a/c N533BK to an eaa breakfast at richard b. russell airport (rmg). After the breakfast he was returning to etowah bend and was flying low and slow along the etowah river. He had and indicated airspeed of less than 45 knots. At that time he was looking at some people down on the river and when he looked back up he was headed towards some tall trees on the east bank of the river. He stated at that time he applied full power and pitched the nose up to try and avoid the tree tops. He stated the aircraft stalled and he descended through the trees and finally impacted a stand of trees and came straight down about 40 feet. The wreckage and tree damage verified his statement as the aircraft had come to rest at the bottom of a stand of trees that had branches broken off approximately 40 ft high. privacy data omitted Sustained no injuries as a result of the accident. He was the only person on board the aircraft. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the wings, landing gear and propeller of the aircraft. Flight control continuity check was satisfactory. The aircraft had 4 gallons of fuel in the tank. privacy data omitted Stated the aircraft was making power and had no mechanical issues that contributed to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 11, 2011 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A NON-CERTIFICATED PILOT, DEPARTED FROM ETOWAH BEND (8GA7) AIRPORT LOCATED IN KINGSTON, GA FOR A LOCAL VFR FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT N533BK IS A 1999 FLIGHTSTAR SL-II EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. DURING THE CRUISE PHASE OF FLIGHT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE FLOWN A/C N533BK TO AN EAA BREAKFAST AT RICHARD B. RUSSELL AIRPORT (RMG). AFTER THE BREAKFAST HE WAS RETURNING TO ETOWAH BEND AND WAS FLYING LOW AND SLOW ALONG THE ETOWAH RIVER. HE HAD AND INDICATED AIRSPEED OF LESS THAN 45 KNOTS. AT THAT TIME HE WAS LOOKING AT SOME PEOPLE DOWN ON THE RIVER AND WHEN HE LOOKED BACK UP HE WAS HEADED TOWARDS SOME TALL TREES ON THE EAST BANK OF THE RIVER. HE STATED AT THAT TIME HE APPLIED FULL POWER AND PITCHED THE NOSE UP TO TRY AND AVOID THE TREE TOPS. HE STATED THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND HE DESCENDED THROUGH THE TREES AND FINALLY IMPACTED A STAND OF TREES AND CAME STRAIGHT DOWN ABOUT 40 FEET. THE WRECKAGE AND TREE DAMAGE VERIFIED HIS STATEMENT AS THE AIRCRAFT HAD COME TO REST AT THE BOTTOM OF A STAND OF TREES THAT HAD BRANCHES BROKEN OFF APPROXIMATELY 40 FT HIGH. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUSTAINED NO INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT.THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, LANDING GEAR AND PROPELLER OF THE AIRCRAFT. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY CHECK WAS SATISFACTORY. THE AIRCRAFT HAD 4 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE TANK. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAKING POWER AND HAD NO MECHANICAL ISSUES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.