What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot took a potential student for a flight on the morning of 6/23/2023. No formal local weather information taken during preflight. The pilot visual observations described the weather conditions as low ceilings, haze, low temperatures, and light winds. During the flight demonstration the pilot stated that he needed to increase power and altitude to clear the upcoming terrain. After applying power, he was unable to gain RPM or altitude. Pilot stated he felt that he experienced carburetor icing, which caused the engine to lose power, and led to the accident. Interview with passenger described a hard right turn and stall during the maneuvering before hitting the trees. The aircraft right and left wings impacted several trees before reaching the ground. Aircraft impacted the ground in a gear down horizontal (pancaked) orientation. Post accident inspection revealed no airframe or engine anomalies, propellor inspection indicated engine was not under power during accident, appearing engine was not running at all.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT TOOK A POTENTIAL STUDENT FOR A FLIGHT ON THE MORNING OF 6/23/2023. NO FORMAL LOCAL WEATHER INFORMATION TAKEN DURING PREFLIGHT. THE PILOT VISUAL OBSERVATIONS DESCRIBED THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AS LOW CEILINGS, HAZE, LOW TEMPERATURES, AND LIGHT WINDS. DURING THE FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION THE PILOT STATED THAT HE NEEDED TO INCREASE POWER AND ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE UPCOMING TERRAIN. AFTER APPLYING POWER, HE WAS UNABLE TO GAIN RPM OR ALTITUDE. PILOT STATED HE FELT THAT HE EXPERIENCED CARBURETOR ICING, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER, AND LED TO THE ACCIDENT. INTERVIEW WITH PASSENGER DESCRIBED A HARD RIGHT TURN AND STALL DURING THE MANEUVERING BEFORE HITTING THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT RIGHT AND LEFT WINGS IMPACTED SEVERAL TREES BEFORE REACHING THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A GEAR DOWN HORIZONTAL (PANCAKED) ORIENTATION. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED NO AIRFRAME OR ENGINE ANOMALIES, PROPELLOR INSPECTION INDICATED ENGINE WAS NOT UNDER POWER DURING ACCIDENT, APPEARING ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING AT ALL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.