What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
^Mr. Kraus^ flew from conneticut to Spruce Creek, FL a week prior to the accident. During that flight the aircraft cabin was reported as being cold due to an air leak around the emergency window behind the pilot seat. Prior to ^Mr. Kraus^ departure back to conneticut, ^Mr. Kraus^ decided to put paper towels around the window to stop the air leak. ^Mr. Kraus^ opened the window to inspect the seal and determined that it will need to be replaced. ^Mr. Kraus^ then decided to fly the aircraft around the traffic pattern at Spruce Creek Airport to see if there was still an air leak from the emergency window. While on downwind the emergency window came open part way. ^Mr. Kraus^ was able to reach back and close the window. Then the window opened fully. ^Mr. Kraus^ decided to turn on the autopilot by selecting hdg and alt. While the autopilot was flying ^Mr. Kraus^ attempted to close the window. When ^Mr. Kraus^ finally got the window closed and looked forward the aircraft was low to the ground and headed for the trees. He said it wasn't but seconds after he looked forward and he was on the ground and going through the trees. ^Mr. Kraus^ was able to evacuate the aircraft with the help of civilians close by. The aircraft caught fire on the right side. Due to the penetration of the right fuel tank.
As the FAA filed it
^MR. KRAUS^ FLEW FROM CONNETICUT TO SPRUCE CREEK, FL A WEEK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. DURING THAT FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT CABIN WAS REPORTED AS BEING COLD DUE TO AN AIR LEAK AROUND THE EMERGENCY WINDOW BEHIND THE PILOT SEAT. PRIOR TO ^MR. KRAUS^ DEPARTURE BACK TO CONNETICUT, ^MR. KRAUS^ DECIDED TO PUT PAPER TOWELS AROUND THE WINDOW TO STOP THE AIR LEAK. ^MR. KRAUS^ OPENED THE WINDOW TO INSPECT THE SEAL AND DETERMINED THAT IT WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. ^MR. KRAUS^ THEN DECIDED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT AROUND THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT SPRUCE CREEK AIRPORT TO SEE IF THERE WAS STILL AN AIR LEAK FROM THE EMERGENCY WINDOW. WHILE ON DOWNWIND THE EMERGENCY WINDOW CAME OPEN PART WAY. ^MR. KRAUS^ WAS ABLE TO REACH BACK AND CLOSE THE WINDOW. THEN THE WINDOW OPENED FULLY. ^MR. KRAUS^ DECIDED TO TURN ON THE AUTOPILOT BY SELECTING HDG AND ALT. WHILE THE AUTOPILOT WAS FLYING ^MR. KRAUS^ ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE WINDOW. WHEN ^MR. KRAUS^ FINALLY GOT THE WINDOW CLOSED AND LOOKED FORWARD THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOW TO THE GROUND AND HEADED FOR THE TREES. HE SAID IT WASN'T BUT SECONDS AFTER HE LOOKED FORWARD AND HE WAS ON THE GROUND AND GOING THROUGH THE TREES. ^MR. KRAUS^ WAS ABLE TO EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE HELP OF CIVILIANS CLOSE BY. THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. DUE TO THE PENETRATION OF THE RIGHT FUEL TANK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.