What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.23) On may 2, 2000 at approximately 0815 PDT, Mr. John w. morton, owner and operator of experimental aircraft N1143L, conducted his first test flight of this homebuilt christavia MK-1 at Mcnary field in Salem, OR. He statedthat his takeoff from rwy. 13 seemed normal, but as he climbed he flet a need for an "excessive amount" of up elevator control force and trim. He stopped his climb at 600 ft. where he experienced pitch control problems and a significant pitch forward when he reduced power. He said that the aircraft was controllable in a climb but because insatiable with the power reduced. At this point he decided to return to Salem and declared an emergency with Salem tower. He was cleared to land on rwy. 34. During his approach to land the aircraft was controllable al long as power was applied. On short final for rwy 34 he instinctively reduced the power for landing and the nose of the aircraft abruptly pitched down and he was unable to recover control prior to ground impact. Some leveling had occurred as the propeller struck the ground just short of the runway overrun. The aircraft ultimately skidded along the ground and came to a rest approximately 280 feet from the point of initial propeller strike. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the gear, engine, propeller and fuselage. There was no fire. The pilot was injuried.
As the FAA filed it
(.23) ON MAY 2, 2000 AT APPROXIMATELY 0815 PDT, MR. JOHN W. MORTON, OWNER AND OPERATOR OF EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT N1143L, CONDUCTED HIS FIRST TEST FLIGHT OF THIS HOMEBUILT CHRISTAVIA MK-1 AT MCNARY FIELD IN SALEM, OR. HE STATEDTHAT HIS TAKEOFF FROM RWY. 13 SEEMED NORMAL, BUT AS HE CLIMBED HE FLET A NEED FOR AN "EXCESSIVE AMOUNT" OF UP ELEVATOR CONTROL FORCE AND TRIM. HE STOPPED HIS CLIMB AT 600 FT. WHERE HE EXPERIENCED PITCH CONTROL PROBLEMS AND A SIGNIFICANT PITCH FORWARD WHEN HE REDUCED POWER. HE SAID THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONTROLLABLE IN A CLIMB BUT BECAUSE INSATIABLE WITH THE POWER REDUCED. AT THIS POINT HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO SALEM AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH SALEM TOWER. HE WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RWY. 34. DURING HIS APPROACH TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONTROLLABLE AL LONG AS POWER WAS APPLIED. ON SHORT FINAL FOR RWY 34 HE INSTINCTIVELY REDUCED THE POWER FOR LANDING AND THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY PITCHED DOWN AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER CONTROL PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. SOME LEVELING HAD OCCURRED AS THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND JUST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY OVERRUN. THE AIRCRAFT ULTIMATELY SKIDDED ALONG THE GROUND AND CAME TO A REST APPROXIMATELY 280 FEET FROM THE POINT OF INITIAL PROPELLER STRIKE. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE GEAR, ENGINE, PROPELLER AND FUSELAGE. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE PILOT WAS INJURIED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.