What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On Wednesday, July 26, 2000, at 1040 local, the pilot of an experimental a/c known as Lionheart, N985CC, began takeoff at the end of runway 28 (4400 feet long) at the Genesee County Airport (gvq), Batavia, NY. The a/c became airborne in approximately 1000 feet. The pilot stated that the plane became "unstable" and drifted off to the right of the pavement. The tailwheel struck the turf 27 feet to the right of the pavement, dragged for approximately 75 feet at a 20 degree angle to the right, where the main gear struck the ground. The right main gear separated from the a/c. the a/c continued to a rise of ground where the right lower wing struck the structure of the tetrahedron delineating circle. The a/c rotated 180 degrees to face in the direction froim which it had come and skidded backwards 55 feet before coming to rest.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2000, AT 1040 LOCAL, THE PILOT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL A/C KNOWN AS LIONHEART, N985CC, BEGAN TAKEOFF AT THE END OF RUNWAY 28 (4400 FEET LONG) AT THE GENESEE COUNTY AIRPORT (GVQ), BATAVIA, NY. THE A/C BECAME AIRBORNE IN APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE PLANE BECAME "UNSTABLE" AND DRIFTED OFF TO THE RIGHT OF THE PAVEMENT. THE TAILWHEEL STRUCK THE TURF 27 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE PAVEMENT, DRAGGED FOR APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET AT A 20 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE RIGHT, WHERE THE MAIN GEAR STRUCK THE GROUND. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE A/C. THE A/C CONTINUED TO A RISE OF GROUND WHERE THE RIGHT LOWER WING STRUCK THE STRUCTURE OF THE TETRAHEDRON DELINEATING CIRCLE. THE A/C ROTATED 180 DEGREES TO FACE IN THE DIRECTION FROIM WHICH IT HAD COME AND SKIDDED BACKWARDS 55 FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.