What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft struck a bird and went down in a field, other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on April 14, 1999, about 1700 eastern daylight time, an experimental zemp avid catalina, N9224T, registered to microlite jet engines, inc., operating as a 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, crashed following a suspected bird strike near Sebring, Florida. The ultralight was substantially damaged, and the private-rated pilot and a passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from Sebring Regional Airport about 1 hour before the accident. According to the pilot's statement to the federal aviation administration inspector, the flight was at 1,000 feet AGL, in cruise, when the pilot heard a "bang", and something sheared all three composite propeller blades about 10 inches from the hub. The pilot made a forced landing to an old orange grove. (-23)during cruise at approximately 1000 feet AGL the pilot heard a loud bang around the (push-type) engine and noticed all three propeller blades were damaged and cut-off approximately 10 inches from the hub. Resulting in a crash landing in an open field. Pilot and one passenger received very min or injuries. On the date of accident the pilot alleged the propeller blades were damaged by a birdstrike or unknown object. On April 29, 1999, the pilot contacted me from zattel, switzerland, affirming that it was the enigne's left exhaust pipe that broke off and struck the blades. The pilot is willing to submit an m or d report upon receipt.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT STRUCK A BIRD AND WENT DOWN IN A FIELD, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON APRIL 14, 1999, ABOUT 1700 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL ZEMP AVID CATALINA, N9224T, REGISTERED TO MICROLITE JET ENGINES, INC., OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, CRASHED FOLLOWING A SUSPECTED BIRD STRIKE NEAR SEBRING, FLORIDA. THE ULTRALIGHT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT AND A PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SEBRING REGIONAL AIRPORT ABOUT 1 HOUR BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR, THE FLIGHT WAS AT 1,000 FEET AGL, IN CRUISE, WHEN THE PILOT HEARD A "BANG", AND SOMETHING SHEARED ALL THREE COMPOSITE PROPELLER BLADES ABOUT 10 INCHES FROM THE HUB. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING TO AN OLD ORANGE GROVE. (-23)DURING CRUISE AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET AGL THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANG AROUND THE (PUSH-TYPE) ENGINE AND NOTICED ALL THREE PROPELLER BLADES WERE DAMAGED AND CUT-OFF APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES FROM THE HUB. RESULTING IN A CRASH LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED VERY MIN OR INJURIES. ON THE DATE OF ACCIDENT THE PILOT ALLEGED THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE DAMAGED BY A BIRDSTRIKE OR UNKNOWN OBJECT. ON APRIL 29, 1999, THE PILOT CONTACTED ME FROM ZATTEL, SWITZERLAND, AFFIRMING THAT IT WAS THE ENIGNE'S LEFT EXHAUST PIPE THAT BROKE OFF AND STRUCK THE BLADES. THE PILOT IS WILLING TO SUBMIT AN M OR D REPORT UPON RECEIPT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.