What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 26, 2011, at 1655 central daylight time, a Clabaugh Robert R, amateur built experimental Barracuda, N289DH, serial no. 289 collided with trees while on approach to runway 29, at the south Alabama regional airport (Bill benton field, (79J)) in Andalusia/opp, Alabama. The private pilot was killed, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and subsequent post-crash fire. The airplane was registered to a privacy data omitted and operated by the private pilot under the provisions of title 14, code of federal regulations part 91, and visual flight rules with no flight plan filed. The flight had originated from 79J, at about 1625, for a local flight. Witnesses observed the airplane on downwind for runway 29, just entering crosswind, and stated that the airplane appeared slow and in a nose high attitude, and then suddenly nosed down with the engine apparently at full power. Witnesses stated that smoke and fire then appeared, and they contacted 911 and reported the accident. On-scene examination found the airplane entered the trees at a 40 degree nose down attitude as indicated by multiple tree impacts prior to coming to rest on a 264 degree heading. The airframe was consumed in a post crash fire with only the engine, flight control cables, push-pull tubes, and various other components from the landing gear, and flap actuator systems remaining. On site examination found that the airplane collided with trees and subsequently the ground at GPS coordinates: 31:18:07 n and 086:22:32 w on a heading of 282 degrees. The airplane came to rest on a heading of 264 degrees magnetic about 3/4 of a mile, off the end of runway 110, still on airport property.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 26, 2011, AT 1655 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CLABAUGH ROBERT R, AMATEUR BUILT EXPERIMENTAL BARRACUDA, N289DH, SERIAL NO. 289 COLLIDED WITH TREES WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 29, AT THE SOUTH ALABAMA REGIONAL AIRPORT (BILL BENTON FIELD, (79J)) IN ANDALUSIA/OPP, ALABAMA. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS KILLED, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES AND SUBSEQUENT POST-CRASH FIRE. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO A ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND OPERATED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14, CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED FROM 79J, AT ABOUT 1625, FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT.WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ON DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 29, JUST ENTERING CROSSWIND, AND STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE APPEARED SLOW AND IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, AND THEN SUDDENLY NOSED DOWN WITH THE ENGINE APPARENTLY AT FULL POWER. WITNESSES STATED THAT SMOKE AND FIRE THEN APPEARED, AND THEY CONTACTED 911 AND REPORTED THE ACCIDENT.ON-SCENE EXAMINATION FOUND THE AIRPLANE ENTERED THE TREES AT A 40 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AS INDICATED BY MULTIPLE TREE IMPACTS PRIOR TO COMING TO REST ON A 264 DEGREE HEADING. THE AIRFRAME WAS CONSUMED IN A POST CRASH FIRE WITH ONLY THE ENGINE, FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES, PUSH-PULL TUBES, AND VARIOUS OTHER COMPONENTS FROM THE LANDING GEAR, AND FLAP ACTUATOR SYSTEMS REMAINING.ON SITE EXAMINATION FOUND THAT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE GROUND AT GPS COORDINATES: 31:18:07 N AND 086:22:32 W ON A HEADING OF 282 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ON A HEADING OF 264 DEGREES MAGNETIC ABOUT 3/4 OF A MILE, OFF THE END OF RUNWAY 110, STILL ON AIRPORT PROPERTY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N289DH · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.