What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
January 21, 2017 at 12:48 EST, N979BA departed from runway 22 at Essex County Airport. Airport video of departure shows what appears to be smoke from aircraft at approximately 50FT. Altitude.
A second airport video shows aircraft turning left after departure with smoke still trailing aircraft before the aircraft dives to left.
The aircraft hit the roof of an industrial building before impacting terrain in a wooded area. The aircraft was destroyed in the post impact fire.
Evidence gathered at the scene indicated that the engine was not running at impact.
The pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft was pulled from the wreckage and sustained several broken bones and severe burns. He is currently in a coma and was unable to give a statement for this report.
Note: pilot total flight hours obtained from that reported at his last medical on 06/16/2016.
As the FAA filed it
JANUARY 21, 2017 AT 12:48 EST, N979BA DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 22 AT ESSEX COUNTY AIRPORT. AIRPORT VIDEO OF DEPARTURE SHOWS WHAT APPEARS TO BE SMOKE FROM AIRCRAFT AT APPROXIMATELY 50FT. ALTITUDE.
A SECOND AIRPORT VIDEO SHOWS AIRCRAFT TURNING LEFT AFTER DEPARTURE WITH SMOKE STILL TRAILING AIRCRAFT BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT DIVES TO LEFT.
THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE ROOF OF AN INDUSTRIAL BUILDING BEFORE IMPACTING TERRAIN IN A WOODED AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE POST IMPACT FIRE.
EVIDENCE GATHERED AT THE SCENE INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING AT IMPACT.
THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS PULLED FROM THE WRECKAGE AND SUSTAINED SEVERAL BROKEN BONES AND SEVERE BURNS. HE IS CURRENTLY IN A COMA AND WAS UNABLE TO GIVE A STATEMENT FOR THIS REPORT.
NOTE: PILOT TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS OBTAINED FROM THAT REPORTED AT HIS LAST MEDICAL ON 06/16/2016.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.