What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Crashed on runway during takeoff. (.4)the accident occurred during the pilot's maiden flight of the homebuilt following completion of construction the preceding week. According to a witness, the pilot took off and climbed 100 feet above the runway surface. During the climb, an airframe component separated from the wing and contacted the wood pusher propeller. A blade separated and all engine power was lost. The airplane then porpoised several times, turned 90 degrees from its runway heading, and collided with the ground in a 45-degree nose-down pitch attitude. A bent plastic (lexan) strip was found about 300 feet downwind of the main wreckage and in close proximity to the separated propeller blade. The strip had been attached to the center section of the wing, forward of the engine, with velcro self-adhesive tape. The adhesive remained attached to the wing, but it failed to adhere to the lexan. In November, 1994, the FAA denied the pilot's last application for an aviation medical certificate because of his cardiovascular condition. Toxicology tests on the pilot revealed the presence of tranquilizers chlordiazepoxide (librium) and diazepam (v alium), and the antidepressant amitriptyline (elavil). Use of these drugs could adversely influence the pilot's mental processes, reaction time, and ability to control the airplane.
As the FAA filed it
CRASHED ON RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF. (.4)THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE PILOT'S MAIDEN FLIGHT OF THE HOMEBUILT FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION THE PRECEDING WEEK. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE PILOT TOOK OFF AND CLIMBED 100 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY SURFACE. DURING THE CLIMB, AN AIRFRAME COMPONENT SEPARATED FROM THE WING AND CONTACTED THE WOOD PUSHER PROPELLER. A BLADE SEPARATED AND ALL ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. THE AIRPLANE THEN PORPOISED SEVERAL TIMES, TURNED 90 DEGREES FROM ITS RUNWAY HEADING, AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A 45-DEGREE NOSE-DOWN PITCH ATTITUDE. A BENT PLASTIC (LEXAN) STRIP WAS FOUND ABOUT 300 FEET DOWNWIND OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE AND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE SEPARATED PROPELLER BLADE. THE STRIP HAD BEEN ATTACHED TO THE CENTER SECTION OF THE WING, FORWARD OF THE ENGINE, WITH VELCRO SELF-ADHESIVE TAPE. THE ADHESIVE REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE WING, BUT IT FAILED TO ADHERE TO THE LEXAN. IN NOVEMBER, 1994, THE FAA DENIED THE PILOT'S LAST APPLICATION FOR AN AVIATION MEDICAL CERTIFICATE BECAUSE OF HIS CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITION. TOXICOLOGY TESTS ON THE PILOT REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF TRANQUILIZERS CHLORDIAZEPOXIDE (LIBRIUM) AND DIAZEPAM (V ALIUM), AND THE ANTIDEPRESSANT AMITRIPTYLINE (ELAVIL). USE OF THESE DRUGS COULD ADVERSELY INFLUENCE THE PILOT'S MENTAL PROCESSES, REACTION TIME, AND ABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.