What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After takeoff and having reached an altitude of approximately 300' AGL the noncertificated pilot stated that the engine lost power. He executed a forced landing into a field where one of the main landing gear wheels sank into a tree strump crater. (This unregistered two-place "heavy ultralight" was not being operated iaw an exemption to FAR 103). (.19) on October 3, 2002, about 1300 pacific daylight time, an unregistered homebuilt silverstar challenger made a forced landing following a loss of power during takeoff from Porterville, California. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. During a telephone interview, the pilot stated the airplane had climbed to 300 feet and entered a right bank when the loss of power occurred. He made a forced landing in a vacant field next to the airport. The left main landing gear was broken after coming into contact with a tree. He further stated that the engine had to be turned off as he exited the airplane . The pilot was not aware that the challenger did not comply with the requirements of federal aviation regulation (FAR) 103, which specifies the requirements an aircraft must meet to operate as an ultralight vehicle rather than an airplane. A federal aviation administration inspector notified the safety board of the accident on October 13, 2002.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER TAKEOFF AND HAVING REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 300' AGL THE NONCERTIFICATED PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING INTO A FIELD WHERE ONE OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEELS SANK INTO A TREE STRUMP CRATER. (THIS UNREGISTERED TWO-PLACE "HEAVY ULTRALIGHT" WAS NOT BEING OPERATED IAW AN EXEMPTION TO FAR 103). (.19) ON OCTOBER 3, 2002, ABOUT 1300 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN UNREGISTERED HOMEBUILT SILVERSTAR CHALLENGER MADE A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER DURING TAKEOFF FROM PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE HAD CLIMBED TO 300 FEET AND ENTERED A RIGHT BANK WHEN THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A VACANT FIELD NEXT TO THE AIRPORT. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS BROKEN AFTER COMING INTO CONTACT WITH A TREE. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AS HE EXITED THE AIRPLANE . THE PILOT WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE CHALLENGER DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATION (FAR) 103, WHICH SPECIFIES THE REQUIREMENTS AN AIRCRAFT MUST MEET TO OPERATE AS AN ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE RATHER THAN AN AIRPLANE. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR NOTIFIED THE SAFETY BOARD OF THE ACCIDENT ON OCTOBER 13, 2002.