What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 22, 2011 aircraft registration number N75654 crash approximately 2.5 miles north of Washington Wilkes county airport resulting in one fatal death. The event was reported by several eye witnesses reported hearing the aircraft engine sputter and finally quit followed by a loud crash sound. Eye witness of a local hunting camp approximately ¼ mile north of the crash site after the loud crashing noise they witnessed the tail structure falling in the near by area. One eyewitness approximately ½ miles from the crash site reported seeing the aircraft tumble from the sky nose to tail into the tree line where the witness heard the crash. Persons from the hunting camp that witnessed the accident were the first on site first locating the tail structure then search and found aircraft nose down. They reported no gas/fuel smell from the aircraft. First responders also reported no fuel smell from the aircraft. FAA inspector onsite removed the fuel cap and found no fuel in tank nor smelled any fuel discharge at the accident scene. Inspected fuel line from the fuel tank to the fire wall all though line were damage no evidence of fuel leaking from the line. A review of the aircraft and engine log books showed a current condition inspection was accomplished. On novemeber 3, 2011 an engine tear down was scheduled no evidence of fuel was present in gas tank, fuel lines or carbuator. The aircraft engine could not be operated during tear down inspection due to engine damage.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 22, 2011 AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION NUMBER N75654 CRASH APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILES NORTH OF WASHINGTON WILKES COUNTY AIRPORT RESULTING IN ONE FATAL DEATH. THE EVENT WAS REPORTED BY SEVERAL EYE WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SPUTTER AND FINALLY QUIT FOLLOWED BY A LOUD CRASH SOUND. EYE WITNESS OF A LOCAL HUNTING CAMP APPROXIMATELY ¼ MILE NORTH OF THE CRASH SITE AFTER THE LOUD CRASHING NOISE THEY WITNESSED THE TAIL STRUCTURE FALLING IN THE NEAR BY AREA. ONE EYEWITNESS APPROXIMATELY ½ MILES FROM THE CRASH SITE REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT TUMBLE FROM THE SKY NOSE TO TAIL INTO THE TREE LINE WHERE THE WITNESS HEARD THE CRASH. PERSONS FROM THE HUNTING CAMP THAT WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT WERE THE FIRST ON SITE FIRST LOCATING THE TAIL STRUCTURE THEN SEARCH AND FOUND AIRCRAFT NOSE DOWN. THEY REPORTED NO GAS/FUEL SMELL FROM THE AIRCRAFT. FIRST RESPONDERS ALSO REPORTED NO FUEL SMELL FROM THE AIRCRAFT. FAA INSPECTOR ONSITE REMOVED THE FUEL CAP AND FOUND NO FUEL IN TANK NOR SMELLED ANY FUEL DISCHARGE AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. INSPECTED FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE FIRE WALL ALL THOUGH LINE WERE DAMAGE NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKING FROM THE LINE. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE LOG BOOKS SHOWED A CURRENT CONDITION INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED.ON NOVEMEBER 3, 2011 AN ENGINE TEAR DOWN WAS SCHEDULED NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL WAS PRESENT IN GAS TANK, FUEL LINES OR CARBUATOR. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE COULD NOT BE OPERATED DURING TEAR DOWN INSPECTION DUE TO ENGINE DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.