What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft was being operated from (dcu) to (gzs) to a new storage facility. While enroute, in the area of his residence, the pilot who had been certificated for 16 months began performing aggressive maneuvers near his house at extremely low altitude around 100FT according to a witness, who was also a pilot. The witness stated he was observing the aircraft to try to make out a registration number and make a complaint to local officals. Witness stated aircraft appeared to stall but recovered and flew out of view, but returned minutes later performing banked turns approaching 90 degrees. While aircraft was in a steep turn, the wings abrutly went level in a downward angle, engine backfired and stopped operating. Witness stated aircraft impacted ground within 3 seconds of wings becoming level. Aircraft was removed to a secure facility for future disassembly and inspection. Examination or aircraft at scene revealed no cause for engine backfire and failure to operate.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED FROM (DCU) TO (GZS) TO A NEW STORAGE FACILITY. WHILE ENROUTE, IN THE AREA OF HIS RESIDENCE, THE PILOT WHO HAD BEEN CERTIFICATED FOR 16 MONTHS BEGAN PERFORMING AGGRESSIVE MANEUVERS NEAR HIS HOUSE AT EXTREMELY LOW ALTITUDE AROUND 100FT ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, WHO WAS ALSO A PILOT. THE WITNESS STATED HE WAS OBSERVING THE AIRCRAFT TO TRY TO MAKE OUT A REGISTRATION NUMBER AND MAKE A COMPLAINT TO LOCAL OFFICALS. WITNESS STATED AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO STALL BUT RECOVERED AND FLEW OUT OF VIEW, BUT RETURNED MINUTES LATER PERFORMING BANKED TURNS APPROACHING 90 DEGREES. WHILE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A STEEP TURN, THE WINGS ABRUTLY WENT LEVEL IN A DOWNWARD ANGLE, ENGINE BACKFIRED AND STOPPED OPERATING. WITNESS STATED AIRCRAFT IMPACTED GROUND WITHIN 3 SECONDS OF WINGS BECOMING LEVEL. AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED TO A SECURE FACILITY FOR FUTURE DISASSEMBLY AND INSPECTION. EXAMINATION OR AIRCRAFT AT SCENE REVEALED NO CAUSE FOR ENGINE BACKFIRE AND FAILURE TO OPERATE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.