What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
10/07/2018 - N38811 was found in the vicinity of Fancy Gap, VA after a search by local law enforcement and emergency responders. The aircraft was found along a hillside in a moderately forested area.
The aircraft had impacted nose first through the tree tops, with both wings, main landing gear, and the firewall-forward section being seperated from the aircraft. The fuselage came to rest in a vertical position and resting against a tree.
The airman was still seated, and buckled into the forward seat upon discovery. The body had been removed prior to ntsb/faa arrival on scene.
The trees associated with the apparent flight path showed signs of impact and prop strikes, as well as a large upper portion of one tree being topped and laying near the wreckage.
The main fuel tank had ruptured on impact and could not be evaluated for fuel level and/or contamination. The auxiliary fuel cell indicated some fuel remaining, however, the level could not be determined on-scene.
Wreckage was recovered for later analysis. No further information at this time. Medical examiner's office was contacted FAA toxilogical kit use was verified. A request was made for the results upon availability.
Nothing further at this time.
As the FAA filed it
10/07/2018 - N38811 WAS FOUND IN THE VICINITY OF FANCY GAP, VA AFTER A SEARCH BY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND ALONG A HILLSIDE IN A MODERATELY FORESTED AREA.
THE AIRCRAFT HAD IMPACTED NOSE FIRST THROUGH THE TREE TOPS, WITH BOTH WINGS, MAIN LANDING GEAR, AND THE FIREWALL-FORWARD SECTION BEING SEPERATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE FUSELAGE CAME TO REST IN A VERTICAL POSITION AND RESTING AGAINST A TREE.
THE AIRMAN WAS STILL SEATED, AND BUCKLED INTO THE FORWARD SEAT UPON DISCOVERY. THE BODY HAD BEEN REMOVED PRIOR TO NTSB/FAA ARRIVAL ON SCENE.
THE TREES ASSOCIATED WITH THE APPARENT FLIGHT PATH SHOWED SIGNS OF IMPACT AND PROP STRIKES, AS WELL AS A LARGE UPPER PORTION OF ONE TREE BEING TOPPED AND LAYING NEAR THE WRECKAGE.
THE MAIN FUEL TANK HAD RUPTURED ON IMPACT AND COULD NOT BE EVALUATED FOR FUEL LEVEL AND/OR CONTAMINATION. THE AUXILIARY FUEL CELL INDICATED SOME FUEL REMAINING, HOWEVER, THE LEVEL COULD NOT BE DETERMINED ON-SCENE.
WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED FOR LATER ANALYSIS. NO FURTHER INFORMATION AT THIS TIME. MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE WAS CONTACTED FAA TOXILOGICAL KIT USE WAS VERIFIED. A REQUEST WAS MADE FOR THE RESULTS UPON AVAILABILITY.
NOTHING FURTHER AT THIS TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.