Accident Overview
A witness reported observing an airplane in distress. The witness first heard a change in engine noise from an airplane flying toward their location. Looking up, they saw the airplane descending in a dive estimated to be at a 45-degree nose-down attitude. The airplane then began a right spiraling turn at treetop level. At that point, the nose pitched down vertically, causing the airplane to disappear from view below the tree line. Just before the airplane collided with the ground, the engine noise stopped completely.
Witness Account
The witness provided a detailed account of the sequence of events. The initial change in engine noise drew their attention to the airplane. The observed attitude and maneuvers suggest an unusual flight path. The airplane was seen descending in a dive, followed by a tight spiraling turn at low altitude. The vertical pitch downward and subsequent disappearance behind trees marked the final moments before the sound of impact, though no impact sound was reported. The cessation of engine noise just before the collision was noted.
Post-crash Examination
Investigators conducted an examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories. No evidence of a precrash failure or malfunction was found. Both fuel tanks were ruptured. There was no evidence of damage to vegetation consistent with fuel spillage, and there was no odor of fuel present at the crash site. The lack of fuel odor or spillage, combined with the ruptured tanks, may indicate that the tanks contained little or no fuel at the time of impact, but no further conclusions were drawn in the source.