What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft impacted terrain approximately 1300 feet northeast of the departure end of runway 08. Ground impact scars and aircraft damage indicate a high angle, low velocity impact.
Student pilot was taking off for first solo cross country flight. Airport surveillance video showed that after take off, the aircraft seemed to level off, and then bank left before pulling up and then subsequently crash.
Two witnesses who hold pilot certicates remarked that the aircraft seemed abnormally slow. The witnesses observed the airplane make a sharp left turn and descend steeply to ground contact. Investigation ongoing, report to be amended as needed/required
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 1300 FEET NORTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 08. GROUND IMPACT SCARS AND AIRCRAFT DAMAGE INDICATE A HIGH ANGLE, LOW VELOCITY IMPACT.
STUDENT PILOT WAS TAKING OFF FOR FIRST SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. AIRPORT SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWED THAT AFTER TAKE OFF, THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO LEVEL OFF, AND THEN BANK LEFT BEFORE PULLING UP AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY CRASH.
TWO WITNESSES WHO HOLD PILOT CERTICATES REMARKED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED ABNORMALLY SLOW. THE WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE MAKE A SHARP LEFT TURN AND DESCEND STEEPLY TO GROUND CONTACT. INVESTIGATION ONGOING, REPORT TO BE AMENDED AS NEEDED/REQUIRED
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.