What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 16, 2014, Piper supercub N5989Z impacted terrain approximately 100 feet below the ridge of a terrain feature. Aircraft had two occupants on board. One occupant was the owner, who holds a student pilot certificate. The other occupant was a commercial rated pilot, whom was fatally injured. The stated reason for the flight was to try out a newly installed climb prop. Wreckage did not show any signs of mechanical failures. One witness to the flight indicated he had seen the aircraft over his property maneuvering at altitudes no higher than an estimated 400 feet AGL, and operating "through" gaps in the surrounding hills. Another witness who saw the impact indicated that prior to impact, the aircraft cleared the ridge from the opposite side by a very narrow margin, then the top of wings became visible quickly and it impacted terrain.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 16, 2014, PIPER SUPERCUB N5989Z IMPACTED TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET BELOW THE RIDGE OF A TERRAIN FEATURE. AIRCRAFT HAD TWO OCCUPANTS ON BOARD. ONE OCCUPANT WAS THE OWNER, WHO HOLDS A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE. THE OTHER OCCUPANT WAS A COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT, WHOM WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE STATED REASON FOR THE FLIGHT WAS TO TRY OUT A NEWLY INSTALLED CLIMB PROP. WRECKAGE DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF MECHANICAL FAILURES. ONE WITNESS TO THE FLIGHT INDICATED HE HAD SEEN THE AIRCRAFT OVER HIS PROPERTY MANEUVERING AT ALTITUDES NO HIGHER THAN AN ESTIMATED 400 FEET AGL, AND OPERATING "THROUGH" GAPS IN THE SURROUNDING HILLS. ANOTHER WITNESS WHO SAW THE IMPACT INDICATED THAT PRIOR TO IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED THE RIDGE FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE BY A VERY NARROW MARGIN, THEN THE TOP OF WINGS BECAME VISIBLE QUICKLY AND IT IMPACTED TERRAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.