What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 23, 2003, about 1300 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped experimental homebuilt, Hughes stol ling airplane, N1243W, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain during an emergency landing after takeoff from the seldovida airport, Seldovia, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a local visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under title 14, CFR part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that after takeoff from runway 34, about 150 feet above the runway, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot reported that as the airplane neared the end of the runway he attempted to land on the remaining runway, but the airplane descended rapidly and landed hard, collapsing both main landing gear legs. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings and the engine.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 23, 2003, ABOUT 1300 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A WHEEL-EQUIPPED EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT, HUGHES STOL LING AIRPLANE, N1243W, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE SELDOVIDA AIRPORT, SELDOVIA, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A LOCAL VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SOLO COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 34, ABOUT 150 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE NEARED THE END OF THE RUNWAY HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY, BUT THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND LANDED HARD, COLLAPSING BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR LEGS. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, BOTH WINGS AND THE ENGINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.