What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The owner/pilot was conducting low level operations over different portions of the Knoxville Tennessee airspace. (Tys) the pilot conducted these flights alone and later with a passenger onboard.
Weather and wind were not a factor, according to weather reports for the operating area.
The pilot, along with a passenger departed powell Tennessee. This area is where the aircraft is based. This flight was to the passengers home area, (faragut, TN) approximately 10 miles.
Witnesses stated the aircraft was low over their neighborhood, in fact they waved and the pilot waved back. It was noted that the passengers house was in the same neighborhood.
Other witnesses stated that the engine rev upped, and it looked like the pilot was trying to "go up".
Investigation on the scene revealed the aircraft was intact and in relatively good condition. The aircraft appeared to go straight down beside large trees.
The accident site was in a heavily wooded area about 200 yards from a large open field and about a quarter mile from two separate subdivisions, on opposites side of the wooded area.
The surrounding accident site showed no large tree (trees were approxinatley 100 feet in height) limbs were broken. It did appear the aircraft fell straight down.
The aircraft engine, without propellers, was ground run at the accident site. No discrepancies with the engine run noted.
All three propeller blade tips approximately six inches from the tips going inboard were damaged/frayed. This indicated the propeller were turning and had struck objects.
As the FAA filed it
THE OWNER/PILOT WAS CONDUCTING LOW LEVEL OPERATIONS OVER DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THE KNOXVILLE TENNESSEE AIRSPACE. (TYS) THE PILOT CONDUCTED THESE FLIGHTS ALONE AND LATER WITH A PASSENGER ONBOARD.
WEATHER AND WIND WERE NOT A FACTOR, ACCORDING TO WEATHER REPORTS FOR THE OPERATING AREA.
THE PILOT, ALONG WITH A PASSENGER DEPARTED POWELL TENNESSEE. THIS AREA IS WHERE THE AIRCRAFT IS BASED. THIS FLIGHT WAS TO THE PASSENGERS HOME AREA, (FARAGUT, TN) APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES.
WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOW OVER THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, IN FACT THEY WAVED AND THE PILOT WAVED BACK. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE PASSENGERS HOUSE WAS IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD.
OTHER WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE REV UPPED, AND IT LOOKED LIKE THE PILOT WAS TRYING TO "GO UP".
INVESTIGATION ON THE SCENE REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT WAS INTACT AND IN RELATIVELY GOOD CONDITION. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO GO STRAIGHT DOWN BESIDE LARGE TREES.
THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA ABOUT 200 YARDS FROM A LARGE OPEN FIELD AND ABOUT A QUARTER MILE FROM TWO SEPARATE SUBDIVISIONS, ON OPPOSITES SIDE OF THE WOODED AREA.
THE SURROUNDING ACCIDENT SITE SHOWED NO LARGE TREE (TREES WERE APPROXINATLEY 100 FEET IN HEIGHT) LIMBS WERE BROKEN. IT DID APPEAR THE AIRCRAFT FELL STRAIGHT DOWN.
THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE, WITHOUT PROPELLERS, WAS GROUND RUN AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. NO DISCREPANCIES WITH THE ENGINE RUN NOTED.
ALL THREE PROPELLER BLADE TIPS APPROXIMATELY SIX INCHES FROM THE TIPS GOING INBOARD WERE DAMAGED/FRAYED. THIS INDICATED THE PROPELLER WERE TURNING AND HAD STRUCK OBJECTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.