What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft was approaching airport from the west and entered what appeared to be a left downwind to the south runway at 2110 local. The downwind and base turn was over ½ mile from airport the altitude was very low and during the turn to final the aircraft struck a tree approximately ½ mile north of airport. The aircraft came to rest roughly 300 feet from where it struck the tree in an open field. The pilot and passenger were able to exit the aircraft. Pilot sustained serious back injury and the passenger sustained no injuries. The pilot was released from hospital the next day with a fractured vertebra.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING AIRPORT FROM THE WEST AND ENTERED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LEFT DOWNWIND TO THE SOUTH RUNWAY AT 2110 LOCAL. THE DOWNWIND AND BASE TURN WAS OVER ½ MILE FROM AIRPORT THE ALTITUDE WAS VERY LOW AND DURING THE TURN TO FINAL THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE APPROXIMATELY ½ MILE NORTH OF AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ROUGHLY 300 FEET FROM WHERE IT STRUCK THE TREE IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS BACK INJURY AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. THE PILOT WAS RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL THE NEXT DAY WITH A FRACTURED VERTEBRA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.