What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On August 15, 1998, at 1521 central daylight time, a wakely DR-107 (one-design) amateur built airplane, N207TW, sustained substantial damage during an off airport landing, following a propeller strike on the runway, while on a test flight, at Stanton, Minnesota. The ATP rated pilot received m inor injuries. The personal 14 CFR part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. (.4)the pilot said he was conducting touch and go landings in the amateur built airplane. He said that on the fourth or fifth landing he attempted a wheel landing, the airplane bounced and he aborted the landing attempt. During the climb the airplane experienced an increasing vibration. The pilot said he then initiated a forced landing to a crop field adjacent to the airport. During the rollout the airplane nosed over. Subsequent to the accident an examination revealed that the propeller sustained damage during the previous bounced landing. (-23) the owner/pilot in command of this single seat experimental home-buil aircraft was virtually on it's first flight. A few problems were noted such as: an engine oil leak, engine idle adjustment, a right wing heavy condition and unexpected control stick feel. The pilot does have "tail dragger" time and recent "tail dragger" flights. Realizing the nature of the flight as "flight test" and the nature of the aircraft "experimental home-built," I feel a great lesson has been learned and I plan no corrective action. I consider this matter closed.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON AUGUST 15, 1998, AT 1521 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A WAKELY DR-107 (ONE-DESIGN) AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE, N207TW, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING, FOLLOWING A PROPELLER STRIKE ON THE RUNWAY, WHILE ON A TEST FLIGHT, AT STANTON, MINNESOTA. THE ATP RATED PILOT RECEIVED M INOR INJURIES. THE PERSONAL 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (.4)THE PILOT SAID HE WAS CONDUCTING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS IN THE AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE. HE SAID THAT ON THE FOURTH OR FIFTH LANDING HE ATTEMPTED A WHEEL LANDING, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND HE ABORTED THE LANDING ATTEMPT. DURING THE CLIMB THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED AN INCREASING VIBRATION. THE PILOT SAID HE THEN INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO A CROP FIELD ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT. DURING THE ROLLOUT THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. SUBSEQUENT TO THE ACCIDENT AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER SUSTAINED DAMAGE DURING THE PREVIOUS BOUNCED LANDING. (-23) THE OWNER/PILOT IN COMMAND OF THIS SINGLE SEAT EXPERIMENTAL HOME-BUIL AIRCRAFT WAS VIRTUALLY ON IT'S FIRST FLIGHT. A FEW PROBLEMS WERE NOTED SUCH AS: AN ENGINE OIL LEAK, ENGINE IDLE ADJUSTMENT, A RIGHT WING HEAVY CONDITION AND UNEXPECTED CONTROL STICK FEEL. THE PILOT DOES HAVE "TAIL DRAGGER" TIME AND RECENT "TAIL DRAGGER" FLIGHTS. REALIZING THE NATURE OF THE FLIGHT AS "FLIGHT TEST" AND THE NATURE OF THE AIRCRAFT "EXPERIMENTAL HOME-BUILT," I FEEL A GREAT LESSON HAS BEEN LEARNED AND I PLAN NO CORRECTIVE ACTION. I CONSIDER THIS MATTER CLOSED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.