What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot landed newark Heath airport (kvta) on runway 09. Witness noted aircraft conducted a hard touch and go landing and departed eastbound with flaps fully extended.
Another witness near the accident site observed the airplane flying west to east at a low altitude. He stated the airplane was level with the flagpole at the cemetery which is just south of the intersection of highway 13 and linnville rd se where the aircraft impacted the ground. The flagpole is estimated to be about 1040 ft MSL to the top of the pole.
The accident site was approximately 2.5 NM and heading 074° from the end of runway 09 at newark-Heath airport (vta).
The aircraft impacted a densely wooded area in a wings level, nose low attitude. Impact marks to the trees to the southwest of the main wreckage were observed.
On the date of the accident, witnesses described what appeared to be a full flap approach on a strong crosswind for runway 09 at kvta. Witnesses noted the aircraft seemed as if the approach was high and steep and stated the aircraft landed hard, bounced, and departed to the east with full power (according to sound of engine), full flaps showing down, and aircraft in level flight with indication of minimal climb prior to disappearing from view over the tree line east of kvta.
Investigation of accident site showed damage to trees beginning approximately 2.5 miles se of kvta and aircraft broke apart during descent into wooded area before impacting ground. Impact damage on trees indicated propeller was turning and witness statements confirmed engine was making power at time of impact.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT LANDED NEWARK HEATH AIRPORT (KVTA) ON RUNWAY 09. WITNESS NOTED AIRCRAFT CONDUCTED A HARD TOUCH AND GO LANDING AND DEPARTED EASTBOUND WITH FLAPS FULLY EXTENDED.
ANOTHER WITNESS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING WEST TO EAST AT A LOW ALTITUDE. HE STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS LEVEL WITH THE FLAGPOLE AT THE CEMETERY WHICH IS JUST SOUTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 13 AND LINNVILLE RD SE WHERE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE FLAGPOLE IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 1040 FT MSL TO THE TOP OF THE POLE.
THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2.5 NM AND HEADING 074° FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 09 AT NEWARK-HEATH AIRPORT (VTA).
THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A DENSELY WOODED AREA IN A WINGS LEVEL, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. IMPACT MARKS TO THE TREES TO THE SOUTHWEST OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE WERE OBSERVED.
ON THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT, WITNESSES DESCRIBED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A FULL FLAP APPROACH ON A STRONG CROSSWIND FOR RUNWAY 09 AT KVTA. WITNESSES NOTED THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED AS IF THE APPROACH WAS HIGH AND STEEP AND STATED THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD, BOUNCED, AND DEPARTED TO THE EAST WITH FULL POWER (ACCORDING TO SOUND OF ENGINE), FULL FLAPS SHOWING DOWN, AND AIRCRAFT IN LEVEL FLIGHT WITH INDICATION OF MINIMAL CLIMB PRIOR TO DISAPPEARING FROM VIEW OVER THE TREE LINE EAST OF KVTA.
INVESTIGATION OF ACCIDENT SITE SHOWED DAMAGE TO TREES BEGINNING APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILES SE OF KVTA AND AIRCRAFT BROKE APART DURING DESCENT INTO WOODED AREA BEFORE IMPACTING GROUND. IMPACT DAMAGE ON TREES INDICATED PROPELLER WAS TURNING AND WITNESS STATEMENTS CONFIRMED ENGINE WAS MAKING POWER AT TIME OF IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.