What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(Tty) acft took off inw rwy 4, started losing power and altitude, turned to avoid obstacles, hit a tree and impacted ground. (.19) on July 24, 1999, at 0915 hours mountain standard time an amateur-built experimental starduster ii, N102E, collided with a tree during takeoff from the Winslow-lindbergh regional airport, Winslow, Arizona. The aircraft sustained substantial damage; however, the certificated commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight by the pilot/owner, under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 when the accident occurred. The flight was originating at the time as a cross-country flight to moriarity, new Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he was taking off on runway 04 and had begun an initial climb to 250 feet MSL when he noticed that the controls felt sluggish, the engine was only developing 2,375 RPM, and the airplane was beginning to lose altitude. About 0.5 to 0.75 miles from the departure end of the runway, still losing altitude, the pilot found it necessary to maneuver in order to avoid an obstruction; however, during t he maneuver, the right wing struck a tree. The airport is located at an elevation of 4,941 feet MSL. The length of runway 04 is 7,499 feet. The reported temperature and winds at the time of the accident were 77 degrees fahrenheit and 080 degrees at 4 knots.
As the FAA filed it
(TTY) ACFT TOOK OFF INW RWY 4, STARTED LOSING POWER AND ALTITUDE, TURNED TO AVOID OBSTACLES, HIT A TREE AND IMPACTED GROUND. (.19) ON JULY 24, 1999, AT 0915 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME AN AMATEUR-BUILT EXPERIMENTAL STARDUSTER II, N102E, COLLIDED WITH A TREE DURING TAKEOFF FROM THE WINSLOW-LINDBERGH REGIONAL AIRPORT, WINSLOW, ARIZONA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE; HOWEVER, THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT BY THE PILOT/OWNER, UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME AS A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO MORIARITY, NEW MEXICO. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 04 AND HAD BEGUN AN INITIAL CLIMB TO 250 FEET MSL WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE CONTROLS FELT SLUGGISH, THE ENGINE WAS ONLY DEVELOPING 2,375 RPM, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS BEGINNING TO LOSE ALTITUDE. ABOUT 0.5 TO 0.75 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, STILL LOSING ALTITUDE, THE PILOT FOUND IT NECESSARY TO MANEUVER IN ORDER TO AVOID AN OBSTRUCTION; HOWEVER, DURING T HE MANEUVER, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE. THE AIRPORT IS LOCATED AT AN ELEVATION OF 4,941 FEET MSL. THE LENGTH OF RUNWAY 04 IS 7,499 FEET. THE REPORTED TEMPERATURE AND WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE 77 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND 080 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.