What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On Friday 23 may, 2003 at approximately 09:00 eastern daylight time, Mr. James a. caldwell, holder of private pilot certificate no. 266560335, attempted an unsuccessful takeoff off of a wet 3000 foot turf runway for a VFR cross country flight to the bahama islands in marginal VFR conditions. The aircraft was apparently heavily loaded and used up about 2000 feet of runway before the aircraft became airborne. The pilot failed to attain sufficient speed out of ground effect and the aircraft settled to the ground drifting to the left. The aircraft went through approximately 150 feet of barbed wire fence and wooden fence posts before coming to a stop. The aircraft sustained substantial damage with no injuries to the pilot or his passengers. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FRIDAY 23 MAY, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 09:00 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, MR. JAMES A. CALDWELL, HOLDER OF PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE NO. 266560335, ATTEMPTED AN UNSUCCESSFUL TAKEOFF OFF OF A WET 3000 FOOT TURF RUNWAY FOR A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO THE BAHAMA ISLANDS IN MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPARENTLY HEAVILY LOADED AND USED UP ABOUT 2000 FEET OF RUNWAY BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE. THE PILOT FAILED TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED OUT OF GROUND EFFECT AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND DRIFTING TO THE LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT WENT THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET OF BARBED WIRE FENCE AND WOODEN FENCE POSTS BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WITH NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT OR HIS PASSENGERS. MARGINAL VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3921W · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.