What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft N747GL, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground during approach to Warrenton Air Park (7VG0), Warrenton, VA. The certificated commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane came to rest upright and a post-impact fire ensued consuming the airplane except for a portion of the left wing and the two amphibious floats. The flight originated from potomac airfield (vkx), friendly, Maryland at 1315.the owner of the airplane stated that the accident pilot called him about 1315 and informed him that he was going to fly the float plane to 7VG0. The owner further stated that he had observed the airplane enter the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for the runway and while turning from the base leg to the final leg of the approach the airplane banked to the left. The airplane appeared to continue to bank to approximately 75 degrees, at which point the nose pitched over to an almost vertical attitude, impacted the ground in the open field prior to the runway threshold, and exploded. Another witness reported that she observed the airplane flying over the north end of the runway and turn onto the downwind leg of the runway. When she looked up again the airplane was in a bank and then the airplane entered a dive. She observed the airplane impact the ground and explode.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT N747GL, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND DURING APPROACH TO WARRENTON AIR PARK (7VG0), WARRENTON, VA. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST UPRIGHT AND A POST-IMPACT FIRE ENSUED CONSUMING THE AIRPLANE EXCEPT FOR A PORTION OF THE LEFT WING AND THE TWO AMPHIBIOUS FLOATS. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM POTOMAC AIRFIELD (VKX), FRIENDLY, MARYLAND AT 1315.THE OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT CALLED HIM ABOUT 1315 AND INFORMED HIM THAT HE WAS GOING TO FLY THE FLOAT PLANE TO 7VG0. THE OWNER FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ENTER THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR THE RUNWAY AND WHILE TURNING FROM THE BASE LEG TO THE FINAL LEG OF THE APPROACH THE AIRPLANE BANKED TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO CONTINUE TO BANK TO APPROXIMATELY 75 DEGREES, AT WHICH POINT THE NOSE PITCHED OVER TO AN ALMOST VERTICAL ATTITUDE, IMPACTED THE GROUND IN THE OPEN FIELD PRIOR TO THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD, AND EXPLODED.ANOTHER WITNESS REPORTED THAT SHE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING OVER THE NORTH END OF THE RUNWAY AND TURN ONTO THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE RUNWAY. WHEN SHE LOOKED UP AGAIN THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A BANK AND THEN THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A DIVE. SHE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IMPACT THE GROUND AND EXPLODE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.