What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 26,2000 at or about 1930 EST, N9034L, an amateur home built aircraft designed by the pilot and called a "crazy 8", impacted tres while on approach for landing at privately owned wildcat airport (IN12), located five miles east of Lafayette, IN. The pilot, Mr. Nathaniel j. halsmer had taken the machine out that evening to conduct taxi test. During one of the high speed taxi test the aircraft became airborne. The pilot stayed in ground effect for about 2500 feet and having run out of usable runway, he climbed to about three hundred feet and turned downwind. A witness stated that the pilot made a shallow sweeping turn to final approach. The witness Mr. Thadeus halsmer, said he then observed the aircraft on final approach in what appeared to be a very high sink rate until the aircraft disappeared behind the trees located about 2500 feet from the end of the runway. The witness heard the impact and was first on the scene. The pilot survived the accident but succumbed four hours later. Investigation revealed that the engine failed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 26,2000 AT OR ABOUT 1930 EST, N9034L, AN AMATEUR HOME BUILT AIRCRAFT DESIGNED BY THE PILOT AND CALLED A "CRAZY 8", IMPACTED TRES WHILE ON APPROACH FOR LANDING AT PRIVATELY OWNED WILDCAT AIRPORT (IN12), LOCATED FIVE MILES EAST OF LAFAYETTE, IN. THE PILOT, MR. NATHANIEL J. HALSMER HAD TAKEN THE MACHINE OUT THAT EVENING TO CONDUCT TAXI TEST. DURING ONE OF THE HIGH SPEED TAXI TEST THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE. THE PILOT STAYED IN GROUND EFFECT FOR ABOUT 2500 FEET AND HAVING RUN OUT OF USABLE RUNWAY, HE CLIMBED TO ABOUT THREE HUNDRED FEET AND TURNED DOWNWIND. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE PILOT MADE A SHALLOW SWEEPING TURN TO FINAL APPROACH. THE WITNESS MR. THADEUS HALSMER, SAID HE THEN OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT ON FINAL APPROACH IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE A VERY HIGH SINK RATE UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED BEHIND THE TREES LOCATED ABOUT 2500 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE WITNESS HEARD THE IMPACT AND WAS FIRST ON THE SCENE. THE PILOT SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT BUT SUCCUMBED FOUR HOURS LATER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.