What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 11, 2015, about 1132 central standard time, an experimental quad city Challenger II airplane, formerly registered as N30796, impacted terrain while on a visual pattern downwind at Rosenbaum Field Airport (3WI9), near chippewa falls, WI. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot died in the accident. The airplane, with an expired registry, was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, which departed without a flight plan at an unknown time.
Several witnesses noticed the airplane making a turn while on mid-field downwind at 3WI9. The airplane subsequently began a steep dive, which continued until ground impact. The airplane caught fire following ground impact.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 11, 2015, ABOUT 1132 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL QUAD CITY CHALLENGER II AIRPLANE, FORMERLY REGISTERED AS N30796, IMPACTED TERRAIN WHILE ON A VISUAL PATTERN DOWNWIND AT ROSENBAUM FIELD AIRPORT (3WI9), NEAR CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT DIED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE, WITH AN EXPIRED REGISTRY, WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT, WHICH DEPARTED WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN AT AN UNKNOWN TIME.
SEVERAL WITNESSES NOTICED THE AIRPLANE MAKING A TURN WHILE ON MID-FIELD DOWNWIND AT 3WI9. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY BEGAN A STEEP DIVE, WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE CAUGHT FIRE FOLLOWING GROUND IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.