What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot stated that the engine cowling came loose during takeoff. At 300 feet AGL, the pilot turned back to the runway and made an extremely hard landing. The landing resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. Both main landing gears were sheared from the wings and the nose landing gear was collapsed. Both wings were severely wrinkled as well as the aft fuselage. The engine and propeller experienced sudden stoppage. The pilot stated that he had removed the top cowling the morning of the flight. Observations confirmed that both left and right cowling fasteners were still attached on the cowling, while the left and right fasteners were not latched.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE COWLING CAME LOOSE DURING TAKEOFF. AT 300 FEET AGL, THE PILOT TURNED BACK TO THE RUNWAY AND MADE AN EXTREMELY HARD LANDING. THE LANDING RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. BOTH MAIN LANDING GEARS WERE SHEARED FROM THE WINGS AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS COLLAPSED. BOTH WINGS WERE SEVERELY WRINKLED AS WELL AS THE AFT FUSELAGE. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER EXPERIENCED SUDDEN STOPPAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD REMOVED THE TOP COWLING THE MORNING OF THE FLIGHT. OBSERVATIONS CONFIRMED THAT BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT COWLING FASTENERS WERE STILL ATTACHED ON THE COWLING, WHILE THE LEFT AND RIGHT FASTENERS WERE NOT LATCHED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.