What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft took off, began to climb, drifted to the right, and crashed into trees. (-23) tailfun N17NT, a motorized glider, departed runway 05 at the lake geneve/grand Geneva airport, lake Geneva, Wisconsin on August 15, 1998 at 1525 CDT. On a VFR pleasure to kenosha, Wisconsin. The aircraft received substantial damage when it settled into trees located approximately 75 feet to the right and hale-way down the 4100 foot runway. Louis m. skydell, the pilot-in-command and sole occupant of the aircraft was not injured. Mr. Skydell reported that at the time of the takeoff the wind was off the left side of the runway at approximately 10 KTS. He stated he rotated at 47 KTS and accelerated to a normal climb speed of 60 KTS. He stated the aircraft began drifting to the right and that at an altitude of approximately 60 feet, the aircraft seemed to stop climbing. He stated he kept the wings level and lowered the nose slightly to maintain 60 KTS. Mr. Skydell reported that the aircraft impacted the trees and settled in a nose down attitude. A private pilot who was located at the approach end of the runway witnessed the ac cident. He stated the ground roll appeared normal and that after liftoff the aircraft started drifting to the right and continued climbing until it impacted the trees. Airworthiness inspector william coppernoll of the milwaukee FSDO inspected the aircraft after it had been removed from the trees no preimpact abnormalities of the engine, propeller or flight controls were noted.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT TOOK OFF, BEGAN TO CLIMB, DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT, AND CRASHED INTO TREES. (-23) TAILFUN N17NT, A MOTORIZED GLIDER, DEPARTED RUNWAY 05 AT THE LAKE GENEVE/GRAND GENEVA AIRPORT, LAKE GENEVA, WISCONSIN ON AUGUST 15, 1998 AT 1525 CDT. ON A VFR PLEASURE TO KENOSHA, WISCONSIN. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT SETTLED INTO TREES LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET TO THE RIGHT AND HALE-WAY DOWN THE 4100 FOOT RUNWAY. LOUIS M. SKYDELL, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT INJURED. MR. SKYDELL REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE TAKEOFF THE WIND WAS OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 10 KTS. HE STATED HE ROTATED AT 47 KTS AND ACCELERATED TO A NORMAL CLIMB SPEED OF 60 KTS. HE STATED THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT AND THAT AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET, THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO STOP CLIMBING. HE STATED HE KEPT THE WINGS LEVEL AND LOWERED THE NOSE SLIGHTLY TO MAINTAIN 60 KTS. MR. SKYDELL REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TREES AND SETTLED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. A PRIVATE PILOT WHO WAS LOCATED AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY WITNESSED THE AC CIDENT. HE STATED THE GROUND ROLL APPEARED NORMAL AND THAT AFTER LIFTOFF THE AIRCRAFT STARTED DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT AND CONTINUED CLIMBING UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE TREES. AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WILLIAM COPPERNOLL OF THE MILWAUKEE FSDO INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AFTER IT HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE TREES NO PREIMPACT ABNORMALITIES OF THE ENGINE, PROPELLER OR FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE NOTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.