What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 19, 2020, approximately 0638 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built vans RV9A
Airplane, N94KJ, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident at Ottawa Executive Airport (Z98), Zeeland, Michigan. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The
Airplane was operated as a title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 personal flight.
According to preliminary air traffic control (ATC) information, the airplane departed Z98 on runway 20 and climbed on a southeasterly heading to about 800 ft above ground level (AGL),
Then turned back toward the airport. The airplane made an approach to runway 2 and descended to 125 ft AGL, then began a climb and turned right to the east of the runway. The last
Recorded information showed the airplane at 350 ft AGL.
The airplane impacted a field about 1,100 ft northeast of the runway 20 threshold with a low forward groundspeed in an apparent spin and a post impact fire ensured. Examination of the airplane at the accident site revealed no anomalies with flight control continuity. The airplane was taken to a facility for further examination by Lycoming and the NTSB.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2020, APPROXIMATELY 0638 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL, AMATEUR-BUILT VANS RV9A
AIRPLANE, N94KJ, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT OTTAWA EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (Z98), ZEELAND, MICHIGAN. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE
AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.
ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) INFORMATION, THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED Z98 ON RUNWAY 20 AND CLIMBED ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING TO ABOUT 800 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL),
THEN TURNED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE MADE AN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 2 AND DESCENDED TO 125 FT AGL, THEN BEGAN A CLIMB AND TURNED RIGHT TO THE EAST OF THE RUNWAY. THE LAST
RECORDED INFORMATION SHOWED THE AIRPLANE AT 350 FT AGL.
THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A FIELD ABOUT 1,100 FT NORTHEAST OF THE RUNWAY 20 THRESHOLD WITH A LOW FORWARD GROUNDSPEED IN AN APPARENT SPIN AND A POST IMPACT FIRE ENSURED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES WITH FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY. THE AIRPLANE WAS TAKEN TO A FACILITY FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION BY LYCOMING AND THE NTSB.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.