What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The a/c was in a level flight attitude approximately 50' AGL flying at a high rate of speed. For unknown reasons the aircraft pitched down and hit the ground flat. The initial contact with the ground caused the landing gear to bend (curl up), it then bounced airborne, the wooden propeller was splintered and both blades broke off as the aircraft made its second contact with the ground. The aircraft became airborne again and hit the ground several times, shedding faring and came to rest approximately 3000 feet from where it initially hit the ground. The pilot was taken to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with compression fractures to several of his vertibrate. U.S. Airforce personnel secured the scene and took pictures of the wreckage and along the ground impact area. See attached witness statements and pictures.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE A/C WAS IN A LEVEL FLIGHT ATTITUDE APPROXIMATELY 50' AGL FLYING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.FOR UNKNOWN REASONS THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED DOWN AND HIT THE GROUND FLAT. THE INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND CAUSED THE LANDING GEAR TO BEND (CURL UP), IT THEN BOUNCED AIRBORNE, THE WOODEN PROPELLER WAS SPLINTERED AND BOTH BLADES BROKE OFF AS THE AIRCRAFT MADE ITS SECOND CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN AND HIT THE GROUND SEVERAL TIMES, SHEDDING FARING AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 3000 FEET FROM WHERE IT INITIALLY HIT THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH COMPRESSION FRACTURES TO SEVERAL OF HIS VERTIBRATE. U.S. AIRFORCE PERSONNEL SECURED THE SCENE AND TOOK PICTURES OF THE WRECKAGE AND ALONG THE GROUND IMPACT AREA. SEE ATTACHED WITNESS STATEMENTS AND PICTURES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.