What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft pitched nose up on takeoff, banked to right, then left until it was inverted. (.4) during a high speed taxi at the non towered airport, the homebuilt quickie airplane inadvertently became airborne. The airplane entered vertical oscillations combined with yawing & banking, rolled inverted and descended vertically to ground impact. The 556 hr pilot/owner/builder had 6 hrs of dual in the past 12 years. He had 50+ hrs of taxi runs in the quickie; however, no flight time and 'no intention of flying the airplane.' The pilot's manual recommends 10 hrs of flying time within the 3 months prior to flight testing the airplane, and during taxi tests to 'always be prepared for a liftoff and first flight if it should accidentally occur.' Lift-off speed is given as 70 mph. Another pilot reported that a bump on the runway caused the nose wheel to lift-off once when he was taxiing the airplane. This pilot, who also had the airplane inadvertently lift-off in ground effect at 85 mph, experienced 'no control problems.' Flight control continuity was confirmed. No pre-impact discrepancies were found. (-23) during the take-off roll the aircraft pitched nose up and climbed 20 to 30 feet and banked t o right, then rolled to the left until inverted, pitched nose down and impacted the ground near vertical. The point of impact was approximately mid-field 25 yds east of runway 17. Clear skies, 85 degrees f. wind 60/10.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT PITCHED NOSE UP ON TAKEOFF, BANKED TO RIGHT, THEN LEFT UNTIL IT WAS INVERTED. (.4) DURING A HIGH SPEED TAXI AT THE NON TOWERED AIRPORT, THE HOMEBUILT QUICKIE AIRPLANE INADVERTENTLY BECAME AIRBORNE. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED VERTICAL OSCILLATIONS COMBINED WITH YAWING & BANKING, ROLLED INVERTED AND DESCENDED VERTICALLY TO GROUND IMPACT. THE 556 HR PILOT/OWNER/BUILDER HAD 6 HRS OF DUAL IN THE PAST 12 YEARS. HE HAD 50+ HRS OF TAXI RUNS IN THE QUICKIE; HOWEVER, NO FLIGHT TIME AND 'NO INTENTION OF FLYING THE AIRPLANE.' THE PILOT'S MANUAL RECOMMENDS 10 HRS OF FLYING TIME WITHIN THE 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO FLIGHT TESTING THE AIRPLANE, AND DURING TAXI TESTS TO 'ALWAYS BE PREPARED FOR A LIFTOFF AND FIRST FLIGHT IF IT SHOULD ACCIDENTALLY OCCUR.' LIFT-OFF SPEED IS GIVEN AS 70 MPH. ANOTHER PILOT REPORTED THAT A BUMP ON THE RUNWAY CAUSED THE NOSE WHEEL TO LIFT-OFF ONCE WHEN HE WAS TAXIING THE AIRPLANE. THIS PILOT, WHO ALSO HAD THE AIRPLANE INADVERTENTLY LIFT-OFF IN GROUND EFFECT AT 85 MPH, EXPERIENCED 'NO CONTROL PROBLEMS.' FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED. NO PRE-IMPACT DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. (-23) DURING THE TAKE-OFF ROLL THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED NOSE UP AND CLIMBED 20 TO 30 FEET AND BANKED T O RIGHT, THEN ROLLED TO THE LEFT UNTIL INVERTED, PITCHED NOSE DOWN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND NEAR VERTICAL. THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS APPROXIMATELY MID-FIELD 25 YDS EAST OF RUNWAY 17. CLEAR SKIES, 85 DEGREES F. WIND 60/10.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.