What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Royse: passenger/pilot-not flying, owner and builder of aircraft. Royse and aircraft had not flown nor the aircraft annualled for more than three years. Wright: pilot/flying, experienced corporate pilot, first flight in this aircraft. Brother-in-law of royse. He was being checked out in the aircraft so he could begin utilizing it. Approach was too fast, when wright came into ground effect he floated, ballooned and the aircraft drift to the left of centerline. After touchdown he allowed the aircraft to roll off th e runway into the grass. There were indications of some but not over breaking. It appears that he wasn't concerned about stopping the aircraft but using the forward energy to get back onto the runway. However the aircraft's course was never physically altered to the right but continued tracking to the left. Aircraft uses differential breaking to steer once the rudder is ineffective. Royse, pilot not flying was unable to make corrections because there are no brakes on the passenger side. Aircraft continued to track to the left and slow. privacy data omitted privacy data omitted the speed at this time would have to be less than 20 mph. The aircraft entered the grass at about 1200' down the runway. The crash site was at approximately 3000 to 3500' down and 100' to the left of the runway. The roof of the cabin was crushed, royse slid low into the seat, ducking; wright did not. Fatality was due to a broken neck.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ROYSE: PASSENGER/PILOT-NOT FLYING, OWNER AND BUILDER OF AIRCRAFT. ROYSE AND AIRCRAFT HAD NOT FLOWN NOR THE AIRCRAFT ANNUALLED FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS. WRIGHT: PILOT/FLYING, EXPERIENCED CORPORATE PILOT, FIRST FLIGHT IN THIS AIRCRAFT. BROTHER-IN-LAW OF ROYSE. HE WAS BEING CHECKED OUT IN THE AIRCRAFT SO HE COULD BEGIN UTILIZING IT. APPROACH WAS TOO FAST, WHEN WRIGHT CAME INTO GROUND EFFECT HE FLOATED, BALLOONED AND THE AIRCRAFT DRIFT TO THE LEFT OF CENTERLINE. AFTER TOUCHDOWN HE ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL OFF TH E RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS. THERE WERE INDICATIONS OF SOME BUT NOT OVER BREAKING. IT APPEARS THAT HE WASN'T CONCERNED ABOUT STOPPING THE AIRCRAFT BUT USING THE FORWARD ENERGY TO GET BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY. HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT'S COURSE WAS NEVER PHYSICALLY ALTERED TO THE RIGHT BUT CONTINUED TRACKING TO THE LEFT. AIRCRAFT USES DIFFERENTIAL BREAKING TO STEER ONCE THE RUDDER IS INEFFECTIVE. ROYSE, PILOT NOT FLYING WAS UNABLE TO MAKE CORRECTIONS BECAUSE THERE ARE NO BRAKES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TRACK TO THE LEFT AND SLOW. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE SPEED AT THIS TIME WOULD HAVE TO BE LESS THAN 20 MPH. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE GRASS AT ABOUT 1200' DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE CRASH SITE WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 3000 TO 3500' DOWN AND 100' TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. THE ROOF OF THE CABIN WAS CRUSHED, ROYSE SLID LOW INTO THE SEAT, DUCKING; WRIGHT DID NOT. FATALITY WAS DUE TO A BROKEN NECK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.