What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On September 6, 1999, about 0800 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt volksplane, VP-11, N8535B was destroyed during takeoff from a private airstrip near Westmore, Vermont. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed for the local test flight which was conducted under 14 CFR part 91. This was pilots first flight in this aircraft and he had changed the propeller before attempting to fly the aircraft. The aircraft began its takeoff roll from the approach end of the grass airstrip. It lifted off after rolling 1,000 feet but failed to gain enough altitude to clear the fifty foot trees at the end of the grass airstrip. The aircraft sheared off tree tops.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1999, ABOUT 0800 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HOMEBUILT VOLKSPLANE, VP-11, N8535B WAS DESTROYED DURING TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR WESTMORE, VERMONT. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL TEST FLIGHT WHICH WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THIS WAS PILOTS FIRST FLIGHT IN THIS AIRCRAFT AND HE HAD CHANGED THE PROPELLER BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF ROLL FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE GRASS AIRSTRIP. IT LIFTED OFF AFTER ROLLING 1,000 FEET BUT FAILED TO GAIN ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE FIFTY FOOT TREES AT THE END OF THE GRASS AIRSTRIP. THE AIRCRAFT SHEARED OFF TREE TOPS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.