What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 11/02/2003 at 1230 CST, a CE-172-S, N730SP, owned by aerolease LLC, operated by fargo jet center, and piloted by lucas bame lost directional control during a takeoff from Lakota, ND. The student pilot and sole occupant had diverted to Lakota due to lowering ceilings at his planned destination of devils lake, ND some 24 NM west. The aircraft left the runway surface approximately 1200' from the departure end of runway 33 (3500'X60') diverging from the runway until nosing over on its back in a drainage ditch 100' east of the runway. No injuries were reported by the pilot. The aircraft sustained damage to both wings, landing gear, buckling at firewall, vertical fin, cowling and propeller. The pilot stated that a gust of wind caused him to become airborne prematurely subsequently losing control.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 11/02/2003 AT 1230 CST, A CE-172-S, N730SP, OWNED BY AEROLEASE LLC, OPERATED BY FARGO JET CENTER, AND PILOTED BY LUCAS BAME LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING A TAKEOFF FROM LAKOTA, ND. THE STUDENT PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT HAD DIVERTED TO LAKOTA DUE TO LOWERING CEILINGS AT HIS PLANNED DESTINATION OF DEVILS LAKE, ND SOME 24 NM WEST. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE RUNWAY SURFACE APPROXIMATELY 1200' FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 33 (3500'X60') DIVERGING FROM THE RUNWAY UNTIL NOSING OVER ON ITS BACK IN A DRAINAGE DITCH 100' EAST OF THE RUNWAY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS, LANDING GEAR, BUCKLING AT FIREWALL, VERTICAL FIN, COWLING AND PROPELLER. THE PILOT STATED THAT A GUST OF WIND CAUSED HIM TO BECOME AIRBORNE PREMATURELY SUBSEQUENTLY LOSING CONTROL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.