What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed runway 01 krld, lost thrust at about 100 feet AGL. Pilot attempted turn to land on cross runway, but lost altitude and struck right wingtip on surface during turn, then struck ground in a medium rate of descent. Aircraft is a powered (self-launching) glider, certificated as experimental/exhibition. Propeller is driven by a twin belt system, with belt tension adjusted by an eccentric mount that also anchors propeller hub. Eccentric is retained by a pinch bolt system. On accident flight, eccentric is believed to have slipped, resulting in loss of drive belt tension and loss of thrust. This deficiency is believed to be a relatively well-known problem for this model of aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 01 KRLD, LOST THRUST AT ABOUT 100 FEET AGL. PILOT ATTEMPTED TURN TO LAND ON CROSS RUNWAY, BUT LOST ALTITUDE AND STRUCK RIGHT WINGTIP ON SURFACE DURING TURN, THEN STRUCK GROUND IN A MEDIUM RATE OF DESCENT. AIRCRAFT IS A POWERED (SELF-LAUNCHING) GLIDER, CERTIFICATED AS EXPERIMENTAL/EXHIBITION. PROPELLER IS DRIVEN BY A TWIN BELT SYSTEM, WITH BELT TENSION ADJUSTED BY AN ECCENTRIC MOUNT THAT ALSO ANCHORS PROPELLER HUB. ECCENTRIC IS RETAINED BY A PINCH BOLT SYSTEM. ON ACCIDENT FLIGHT, ECCENTRIC IS BELIEVED TO HAVE SLIPPED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF DRIVE BELT TENSION AND LOSS OF THRUST. THIS DEFICIENCY IS BELIEVED TO BE A RELATIVELY WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.