What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 08/12/2023 at 0821CDT the aircraft loaded 7.79 gallons of 100LL fuel from the self serve pump at 3LF. Aircraft departed 3LF at approximately 0839CDT on a north/northwest direction toward the town of Virden, IL. Once over the town of Virden the aircraft turned on a southwest direction. Five witnesses reported that the aircraft was at a low altitude approximately 500-1000 ft above the ground and inverted as it flew over the town. Two witnesses that were closest to the accident site reported that the aircraft was upright before the accident. At approximately 0848 the aircraft crashed into the edge of a treeline approximately .25MILES straight south from the corner of dean street and n. henrietta street on the southwest side of Virden. The aircraft crashed at a steep angle into the treeline on a southwest heading. The aircraft was completely destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
ON 08/12/2023 AT 0821CDT THE AIRCRAFT LOADED 7.79 GALLONS OF 100LL FUEL FROM THE SELF SERVE PUMP AT 3LF. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED 3LF AT APPROXIMATELY 0839CDT ON A NORTH/NORTHWEST DIRECTION TOWARD THE TOWN OF VIRDEN, IL. ONCE OVER THE TOWN OF VIRDEN THE AIRCRAFT TURNED ON A SOUTHWEST DIRECTION. FIVE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT A LOW ALTITUDE APPROXIMATELY 500-1000 FT ABOVE THE GROUND AND INVERTED AS IT FLEW OVER THE TOWN. TWO WITNESSES THAT WERE CLOSEST TO THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS UPRIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. AT APPROXIMATELY 0848 THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE EDGE OF A TREELINE APPROXIMATELY .25MILES STRAIGHT SOUTH FROM THE CORNER OF DEAN STREET AND N. HENRIETTA STREET ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF VIRDEN. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AT A STEEP ANGLE INTO THE TREELINE ON A SOUTHWEST HEADING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.