What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative:
On September 10th at approximately 1100 local time aircraft privacy data omitted an experimental / homebuilt piloted by a certificated private pilot departed Dowagiac Municipal (C91) airport for a pleasure flight that was intended duration of 1 hour. At approximately 1700 it was noted by his wife that he had not returned and an alnot was issued on 09/11/2023 at 0021 zulu.
On September 14th the wreckage was located approximately 4.1 miles nne of the airport on a 242 deg heading and the pilot was deceased.
On scene observations
The aircraft sustained substantial damage as it crashed into a heavily wooded hardwood forest approximately 100FT from the east edge of a potato field. The left wing impacted a tree approximately 100-125FT above ground and this spun the aircraft and caused it to land upside down flat on the ground with the tail bent as it impacted a previously downed log. Aircraft appeared to be heading in a 170 deg heading and indications are pointing to a low-speed impact. Inspection of the propeller shows one blade broke off due to ground impact and the other blade shows signs that it was not under full or partial power during the crash. The cockpit canopy was broken and the pilot was found deceased and was laying under the right wing and it appears he had crawled out. The cause of death at this time is unknown, and no blood-borne pathogens were noted on site.
Flight and engine control continuity was verified. Fuel was found in the filter bowl in the engine compartment.
Cockpit observations
Circuit breakers were all in, throttle was approximately halfway, mixture was rich, carb heat in, (mag 1) electronic ignition switch on, (mag 2) points switch off, master on, avionics off, pitch trim centered. Fuel shutoff is in the open position and there was approximately 12.5 gallons on board.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE:
ON SEPTEMBER 10TH AT APPROXIMATELY 1100 LOCAL TIME AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AN EXPERIMENTAL / HOMEBUILT PILOTED BY A CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED DOWAGIAC MUNICIPAL (C91) AIRPORT FOR A PLEASURE FLIGHT THAT WAS INTENDED DURATION OF 1 HOUR. AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 IT WAS NOTED BY HIS WIFE THAT HE HAD NOT RETURNED AND AN ALNOT WAS ISSUED ON 09/11/2023 AT 0021 ZULU.
ON SEPTEMBER 14TH THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 4.1 MILES NNE OF THE AIRPORT ON A 242 DEG HEADING AND THE PILOT WAS DECEASED.
ON SCENE OBSERVATIONS
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS IT CRASHED INTO A HEAVILY WOODED HARDWOOD FOREST APPROXIMATELY 100FT FROM THE EAST EDGE OF A POTATO FIELD. THE LEFT WING IMPACTED A TREE APPROXIMATELY 100-125FT ABOVE GROUND AND THIS SPUN THE AIRCRAFT AND CAUSED IT TO LAND UPSIDE DOWN FLAT ON THE GROUND WITH THE TAIL BENT AS IT IMPACTED A PREVIOUSLY DOWNED LOG. AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE HEADING IN A 170 DEG HEADING AND INDICATIONS ARE POINTING TO A LOW-SPEED IMPACT. INSPECTION OF THE PROPELLER SHOWS ONE BLADE BROKE OFF DUE TO GROUND IMPACT AND THE OTHER BLADE SHOWS SIGNS THAT IT WAS NOT UNDER FULL OR PARTIAL POWER DURING THE CRASH. THE COCKPIT CANOPY WAS BROKEN AND THE PILOT WAS FOUND DECEASED AND WAS LAYING UNDER THE RIGHT WING AND IT APPEARS HE HAD CRAWLED OUT. THE CAUSE OF DEATH AT THIS TIME IS UNKNOWN, AND NO BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS WERE NOTED ON SITE.
FLIGHT AND ENGINE CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS VERIFIED. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FILTER BOWL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
COCKPIT OBSERVATIONS
CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE ALL IN, THROTTLE WAS APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY, MIXTURE WAS RICH, CARB HEAT IN, (MAG 1) ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH ON, (MAG 2) POINTS SWITCH OFF, MASTER ON, AVIONICS OFF, PITCH TRIM CENTERED. FUEL SHUTOFF IS IN THE OPEN POSITION AND THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12.5 GALLONS ON BOARD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N569SX · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.