What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Passenger reported plane took off headed to circle location where the two were staying, then flew level at 3500FT MSL to return to airport kffa. While enroute PIC told passenger there was possible wind shear or turbulence along this area.
Suddenly passenger described what he called wind shear as if hit hard, then he saw right wing strut components break and poke through the right wing fabric skin. Then he saw the right wing cover moving inward with much less wing for lift and aircraft spiraled downward until it hit the water. Passenger stated he was in the water for about 30 minutes before someone got him out of the water. He said he had minor injuries. The PIC was fatal.
This detail was identified and submitted in this amendment of the original details by the aiic. The first impact site was unaccessible. A hurricane moved the aircraft to the shore near kitty hawk where aiic was able to inspect and photograph details of structure and failures.
As the FAA filed it
PASSENGER REPORTED PLANE TOOK OFF HEADED TO CIRCLE LOCATION WHERE THE TWO WERE STAYING, THEN FLEW LEVEL AT 3500FT MSL TO RETURN TO AIRPORT KFFA. WHILE ENROUTE PIC TOLD PASSENGER THERE WAS POSSIBLE WIND SHEAR OR TURBULENCE ALONG THIS AREA.
SUDDENLY PASSENGER DESCRIBED WHAT HE CALLED WIND SHEAR AS IF HIT HARD, THEN HE SAW RIGHT WING STRUT COMPONENTS BREAK AND POKE THROUGH THE RIGHT WING FABRIC SKIN. THEN HE SAW THE RIGHT WING COVER MOVING INWARD WITH MUCH LESS WING FOR LIFT AND AIRCRAFT SPIRALED DOWNWARD UNTIL IT HIT THE WATER. PASSENGER STATED HE WAS IN THE WATER FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE SOMEONE GOT HIM OUT OF THE WATER. HE SAID HE HAD MINOR INJURIES. THE PIC WAS FATAL.
THIS DETAIL WAS IDENTIFIED AND SUBMITTED IN THIS AMENDMENT OF THE ORIGINAL DETAILS BY THE AIIC. THE FIRST IMPACT SITE WAS UNACCESSIBLE. A HURRICANE MOVED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE SHORE NEAR KITTY HAWK WHERE AIIC WAS ABLE TO INSPECT AND PHOTOGRAPH DETAILS OF STRUCTURE AND FAILURES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.