What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 14, 2003 at 4:00 pm the private pilot departed the takeoff rail heading directly into the wind (320 degrees - on grass). Upon leaving the launch rail, a gust of wind in excess of 20 knots abruptly raised the aircraft into a precarious attitude. The pilot responded with full forward deflection of the carnard control, with no impact on the aircraft's attitude. The aircraft, now in an extreme nose high attitude, began a tailslide and the engine lost power. The gust of wind diminished and the aircraft's right lower wing impacted the ground approximately 10 feet from the launch rail-the same point where the initial gust of wind began the series of events. Nothing follows.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 14, 2003 AT 4:00 PM THE PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED THE TAKEOFF RAIL HEADING DIRECTLY INTO THE WIND (320 DEGREES - ON GRASS). UPON LEAVING THE LAUNCH RAIL, A GUST OF WIND IN EXCESS OF 20 KNOTS ABRUPTLY RAISED THE AIRCRAFT INTO A PRECARIOUS ATTITUDE. THE PILOT RESPONDED WITH FULL FORWARD DEFLECTION OF THE CARNARD CONTROL, WITH NO IMPACT ON THE AIRCRAFT'S ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT, NOW IN AN EXTREME NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, BEGAN A TAILSLIDE AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE GUST OF WIND DIMINISHED AND THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT LOWER WING IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET FROM THE LAUNCH RAIL-THE SAME POINT WHERE THE INITIAL GUST OF WIND BEGAN THE SERIES OF EVENTS. NOTHING FOLLOWS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.