What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 9, 1999, about 1215 eastern daylight time, a Ryan st-a, N18904, registered to a private individual, impacted with a fence during takeoff from a private airstrip near Leesburg, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airline transport-rated pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight had originated at an unknown time from the same airport. The airplane was taking off from a private grass strip and struck a 5 feet tall fence at the departure end of the runway. After striking the fence the airplane nosed over. (-23)pilot attempted takeoff from grass strip. Could not clear fence at end of runway and struck fence with landing gear. Causing aricraft to land inverted on other side of fence. Pilot and passenger received no injuries. Aircraft sustained substantial damage to left wing, both landing gear and severe buckling of fuselage in several places. Motor mount broke and vertical fin and rudder were damaged. Inspection of aircraft revealed control continuity to all flight controls, powerplant controls were functioning properly. An inspection of the landing gear revealed a severe drag from the brake on the left wheel, while the right wheel turned freely.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 9, 1999, ABOUT 1215 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A RYAN ST-A, N18904, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, IMPACTED WITH A FENCE DURING TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR LEESBURG, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT-RATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED AT AN UNKNOWN TIME FROM THE SAME AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS TAKING OFF FROM A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP AND STRUCK A 5 FEET TALL FENCE AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER STRIKING THE FENCE THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. (-23)PILOT ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM GRASS STRIP. COULD NOT CLEAR FENCE AT END OF RUNWAY AND STRUCK FENCE WITH LANDING GEAR. CAUSING ARICRAFT TO LAND INVERTED ON OTHER SIDE OF FENCE. PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED NO INJURIES. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO LEFT WING, BOTH LANDING GEAR AND SEVERE BUCKLING OF FUSELAGE IN SEVERAL PLACES. MOTOR MOUNT BROKE AND VERTICAL FIN AND RUDDER WERE DAMAGED. INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT REVEALED CONTROL CONTINUITY TO ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS, POWERPLANT CONTROLS WERE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. AN INSPECTION OF THE LANDING GEAR REVEALED A SEVERE DRAG FROM THE BRAKE ON THE LEFT WHEEL, WHILE THE RIGHT WHEEL TURNED FREELY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.