Primary finding
Probable cause
The airplane’s descent into trees and subsequent impact with terrain for undetermined reasons.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
Law enforcement personnel reported that several witnesses observed an airplane flying low and circling around a housing complex and nearby woods for a short time before it crashed into the woods. The airplane was located the next day in wooded terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The student pilot was seriously injured and unable to make a statement as to the circumstances of the accident before he succumbed to his injuries. The owner/operator of the airplane reported that surveillance video revealed that the student pilot entered his building on the evening of the accident and took the logbooks and keys to the airplane. The owner reported to the county Sheriff’s Office that the airplane was stolen as the pilot did not have permission to be in the building or to operate the airplane.