What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: history of flight; on 09/23/96, a dayton PT-2 prostar, experimental amateur built aircraft, N632ND, registered to james n. dayton, and operated by galen w. hutcheson on a pleasure flight sustained a hard landing. During the flight, a popping sound was heard and the control of the aircraft changed characteristics. A precautionary landing was attempted in a hayfield. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time; although gusty winds were encountered during the attempted landing, and the aircraft would not flare for a normal landing. The pilot was not injured, and the single passenger sustained minor abrasion to his left elbow. Damage to aircraft; minor damage was done to the aircraft. Test & research; visual inspection by the owner and maintenance personnel were unable to determine any discrepancies in the flight controls. This incident is closed.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: HISTORY OF FLIGHT; ON 09/23/96, A DAYTON PT-2 PROSTAR, EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT, N632ND, REGISTERED TO JAMES N. DAYTON, AND OPERATED BY GALEN W. HUTCHESON ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT SUSTAINED A HARD LANDING. DURING THE FLIGHT, A POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD AND THE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT CHANGED CHARACTERISTICS. A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED IN A HAYFIELD. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED, AND VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME; ALTHOUGH GUSTY WINDS WERE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE ATTEMPTED LANDING, AND THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT FLARE FOR A NORMAL LANDING. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, AND THE SINGLE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR ABRASION TO HIS LEFT ELBOW. DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT; MINOR DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE AIRCRAFT. TEST & RESEARCH; VISUAL INSPECTION BY THE OWNER AND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE ANY DISCREPANCIES IN THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THIS INCIDENT IS CLOSED.