What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The accident aircraft was conducting a series of low approaches over a private airfield. After completing an initial low pass, the aircraft entered the traffic pattern to perform a second low approach.
Sequence of events:
Following the initial pass, the accident aircraft entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. Two Boeing stearman aircraft, Flying significantly slower, were ahead of the accident aircraft in the pattern. Witnesses reported that the accident aircraft turned onto a left base for final approach.
During the turn to final, the aircraft suddenly snapped to the right. It then entered a rapid descent, impacting the ground left wing first, followed by the fuselage.
As the FAA filed it
THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING A SERIES OF LOW APPROACHES OVER A PRIVATE AIRFIELD. AFTER COMPLETING AN INITIAL LOW PASS, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO PERFORM A SECOND LOW APPROACH.
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS:
FOLLOWING THE INITIAL PASS, THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. TWO BOEING STEARMAN AIRCRAFT, FLYING SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWER, WERE AHEAD OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT IN THE PATTERN. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT TURNED ONTO A LEFT BASE FOR FINAL APPROACH.
DURING THE TURN TO FINAL, THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY SNAPPED TO THE RIGHT. IT THEN ENTERED A RAPID DESCENT, IMPACTING THE GROUND LEFT WING FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE FUSELAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.