What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 27, 2015 at 20:17 eastern daylight time, an experimental, One Easy aircraft, N227TB, registered to and operated by a private pilot, was destroyed when it attempted to return for landing following in flight emergency while departing runway 23R at the Battle Creek w.k. kellogg airport, (kbtl) Battle Creek, MI. Visual meteorological conditions and calm winds prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from the Battle Creek w.k. kellogg airport at approximately 20:15 local time en route to berrien springs, MI.
According to witnesses, N227TB (experimental) was cleared for takeoff on runway 23R. The aircraft departed and flew down the runway in an erratic fashion. The tower controller asked the pilot if everything was okay. No response was given. The aircraft proceeded to the end of runway 23R/5L and made a steep 180 degree turn and flew opposite direction down runway 5 l at approximately 200FT AGL. The pilot was heard to make a garbled broadcast with the number 23 in the transmission. The tower controller cleared the aircraft to land on any runway. At the end of runway 23R the pilot made a second steep 180 turn and crashed approximately 500 feet southeast of runway 23R.
Weather report at kbtl airport at 23:53 UTC was: wind 100 @ 5KTS, visibility 10 statute miles, SCT3600, temp 71 dew point 61 and altimeter 3016.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 27, 2015 AT 20:17 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL, ONE EASY AIRCRAFT, N227TB, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN FOR LANDING FOLLOWING IN FLIGHT EMERGENCY WHILE DEPARTING RUNWAY 23R AT THE BATTLE CREEK W.K. KELLOGG AIRPORT, (KBTL) BATTLE CREEK, MI. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND CALM WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE BATTLE CREEK W.K. KELLOGG AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 20:15 LOCAL TIME EN ROUTE TO BERRIEN SPRINGS, MI.
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, N227TB (EXPERIMENTAL) WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 23R. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AND FLEW DOWN THE RUNWAY IN AN ERRATIC FASHION. THE TOWER CONTROLLER ASKED THE PILOT IF EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. NO RESPONSE WAS GIVEN. THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TO THE END OF RUNWAY 23R/5L AND MADE A STEEP 180 DEGREE TURN AND FLEW OPPOSITE DIRECTION DOWN RUNWAY 5 L AT APPROXIMATELY 200FT AGL. THE PILOT WAS HEARD TO MAKE A GARBLED BROADCAST WITH THE NUMBER 23 IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE TOWER CONTROLLER CLEARED THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND ON ANY RUNWAY. AT THE END OF RUNWAY 23R THE PILOT MADE A SECOND STEEP 180 TURN AND CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET SOUTHEAST OF RUNWAY 23R.
WEATHER REPORT AT KBTL AIRPORT AT 23:53 UTC WAS: WIND 100 @ 5KTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, SCT3600, TEMP 71 DEW POINT 61 AND ALTIMETER 3016.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.