What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
6/23/2012 - At approximately 1515 (PDT), CE-172, s/n: 28381, N5781A, departed Crow-Mag airstrip (33OR -private) in Veneta, OR. With the pilot (roch d'auzon) and three passengers (robyn l. weir, christopher r. kent, erin t.f. noble). Ground witnesses report the aircraft made an uneventful ground roll and take-off. Less than 1 minute into the flight, ground witnesses reported that the engine "went quite". The aircraft descended rapidly and struck a group of Douglas fir trees (approximately 100' tall). The right wing was severed from the aircraft as it descended. At some point during the descent, both horizontal and the vertical flight surfaces were severed from the aircraft. The aircraft impacted the ground in an inverted position. All persons on board sustained fatal injuries. There was no fire associated with the crash. The engine and propeller were intact with the airframe. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
As the FAA filed it
6/23/2012 - AT APPROXIMATELY 1515 (PDT), CE-172, S/N: 28381, N5781A, DEPARTED CROW-MAG AIRSTRIP (33OR -PRIVATE) IN VENETA, OR. WITH THE PILOT (ROCH D'AUZON) AND THREE PASSENGERS (ROBYN L. WEIR, CHRISTOPHER R. KENT, ERIN T.F. NOBLE). GROUND WITNESSES REPORT THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN UNEVENTFUL GROUND ROLL AND TAKE-OFF. LESS THAN 1 MINUTE INTO THE FLIGHT, GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE "WENT QUITE". THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND STRUCK A GROUP OF DOUGLAS FIR TREES (APPROXIMATELY 100' TALL). THE RIGHT WING WAS SEVERED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AS IT DESCENDED. AT SOME POINT DURING THE DESCENT, BOTH HORIZONTAL AND THE VERTICAL FLIGHT SURFACES WERE SEVERED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN INVERTED POSITION. ALL PERSONS ON BOARD SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THERE WAS NO FIRE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CRASH. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE INTACT WITH THE AIRFRAME. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.