What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: commercial pilot dwight shaw cross piloted pitts special sis, N8519, from bradford field airport, huntersville, NC to Rockingham dragway, Rockingham, NC, where the pilot attempted to land on the Drag Strip. At approximate time of the incident, charlotte NWS recorded winds of 250 degrees at 12 knots. Indications are that when aircraft landed to the northeast, on the Drag Strip, he did so with approximately a 12 knot tailwind. There are automobile-type steel guard rails along the sides of the dragstrip. The pilot said that after a normal touchdown, the tailwheel aircraft started a veer to the right, and that he was unable to stop this right drift using full left rudder and left brake. The pilot said that if the guard rail had not been there, he could have added power, the torque would have straightened the aircraft, and he would have gone around (taken off). Unable to stop the drift, the right wing struck the rail, causing the aircraft to turn sharply and go over the rail. Due to rail and ground impact, both main gear, all four wing tips, the engine cowling, propeller, and elevator received minor damage. Rockingham fire department officials reported that approxim ately 150 aircraft landed at the Drag Strip that day. This happens twice each year when the Rockingham dragway allows landings so pilots can attend nascar racing on the adjacent round track. Northeast (runway 06) landings have been preferred due to the grandstand area at the northeastern end of the strip. Charlotte FSDO personnel plan to meet with Rockingham dragway officials and address safety related issues for further flight operations-to include landing advisories, wind indicators, and the possibility of southwest landings. The pilot has been counseled and this investigation is now closed.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: COMMERCIAL PILOT DWIGHT SHAW CROSS PILOTED PITTS SPECIAL SIS, N8519, FROM BRADFORD FIELD AIRPORT, HUNTERSVILLE, NC TO ROCKINGHAM DRAGWAY, ROCKINGHAM, NC, WHERE THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON THE DRAG STRIP. AT APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, CHARLOTTE NWS RECORDED WINDS OF 250 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS. INDICATIONS ARE THAT WHEN AIRCRAFT LANDED TO THE NORTHEAST, ON THE DRAG STRIP, HE DID SO WITH APPROXIMATELY A 12 KNOT TAILWIND. THERE ARE AUTOMOBILE-TYPE STEEL GUARD RAILS ALONG THE SIDES OF THE DRAGSTRIP. THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN, THE TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT STARTED A VEER TO THE RIGHT, AND THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THIS RIGHT DRIFT USING FULL LEFT RUDDER AND LEFT BRAKE. THE PILOT SAID THAT IF THE GUARD RAIL HAD NOT BEEN THERE, HE COULD HAVE ADDED POWER, THE TORQUE WOULD HAVE STRAIGHTENED THE AIRCRAFT, AND HE WOULD HAVE GONE AROUND (TAKEN OFF). UNABLE TO STOP THE DRIFT, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE RAIL, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO TURN SHARPLY AND GO OVER THE RAIL. DUE TO RAIL AND GROUND IMPACT, BOTH MAIN GEAR, ALL FOUR WING TIPS, THE ENGINE COWLING, PROPELLER, AND ELEVATOR RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE. ROCKINGHAM FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT APPROXIM ATELY 150 AIRCRAFT LANDED AT THE DRAG STRIP THAT DAY. THIS HAPPENS TWICE EACH YEAR WHEN THE ROCKINGHAM DRAGWAY ALLOWS LANDINGS SO PILOTS CAN ATTEND NASCAR RACING ON THE ADJACENT ROUND TRACK. NORTHEAST (RUNWAY 06) LANDINGS HAVE BEEN PREFERRED DUE TO THE GRANDSTAND AREA AT THE NORTHEASTERN END OF THE STRIP. CHARLOTTE FSDO PERSONNEL PLAN TO MEET WITH ROCKINGHAM DRAGWAY OFFICIALS AND ADDRESS SAFETY RELATED ISSUES FOR FURTHER FLIGHT OPERATIONS-TO INCLUDE LANDING ADVISORIES, WIND INDICATORS, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SOUTHWEST LANDINGS. THE PILOT HAS BEEN COUNSELED AND THIS INVESTIGATION IS NOW CLOSED.