What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Originating flight was an angel flight from ksac to krdd to drop a passenger there. Pilot filed an IFR flight plan for his return flight to ksac as smoke reduced the visibility to 2 1/2 miles. Pilot asked tower for a variance from the standard departure procedure. Tower advised pilot to ask norcal departure. Pilot was cleared to take off and did so at approximately 1825 local. Witness on ground saw aircraft veer slightly to the left of centerline. Aircraft then started a right crosswind where the tower saw it turn sharply with the tail up in a downward attitude. Tower called out several times with no response. Another witness claims he saw the aircraft nav lights and indicated as though the aircraft rolled in the air. Also said the engine was running and making power. Aircraft impacted with the ground right wingtip first bounced and hit an embankment where it scattered in pieces. Cause of the accident is yet to be determined, will amend as details become available.
As the FAA filed it
ORIGINATING FLIGHT WAS AN ANGEL FLIGHT FROM KSAC TO KRDD TO DROP A PASSENGER THERE. PILOT FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FOR HIS RETURN FLIGHT TO KSAC AS SMOKE REDUCED THE VISIBILITY TO 2 1/2 MILES. PILOT ASKED TOWER FOR A VARIANCE FROM THE STANDARD DEPARTURE PROCEDURE. TOWER ADVISED PILOT TO ASK NORCAL DEPARTURE. PILOT WAS CLEARED TO TAKE OFF AND DID SO AT APPROXIMATELY 1825 LOCAL. WITNESS ON GROUND SAW AIRCRAFT VEER SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT OF CENTERLINE. AIRCRAFT THEN STARTED A RIGHT CROSSWIND WHERE THE TOWER SAW IT TURN SHARPLY WITH THE TAIL UP IN A DOWNWARD ATTITUDE. TOWER CALLED OUT SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO RESPONSE. ANOTHER WITNESS CLAIMS HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT NAV LIGHTS AND INDICATED AS THOUGH THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED IN THE AIR. ALSO SAID THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND MAKING POWER. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED WITH THE GROUND RIGHT WINGTIP FIRST BOUNCED AND HIT AN EMBANKMENT WHERE IT SCATTERED IN PIECES. CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IS YET TO BE DETERMINED, WILL AMEND AS DETAILS BECOME AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.