What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On February 29, 2004, at 0915 eastern daylight time, a 1974 Bellanca citabria 7ECA, N86715, s/n 1017-74, operated by Mr. Karl v. anderson, departed solo from a grass strip (located 10 miles east of 4G6, Hornell airport) on snow skis. The aircraft departed, and just at rotation the left main ski dug into some soft snow. The left ski was ripped off the spring landing gear, and in correcting the left torque created by this the right ski dragged enough to turn over to the vertical position. The pilot continued to fly the aircraft, and decided to land at the Hornell county airport (K4G6), in Hornell, NY on runway 18. The crash, fire, and rescue was standing by. Maintenance personnel inspected the aircraft, and found only damage to the left wing struts. The aircraft was removed from the runway 18, and taken to an aircraft maintenance hangar in painted post, new york. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received minor damage, but the left wing struts were substantially damaged. The pilot was not injured and the flight originated at 7765 loucks pond road, avoca, NY 14809-9720, on February 29, 2004.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEBRUARY 29, 2004, AT 0915 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A 1974 BELLANCA CITABRIA 7ECA, N86715, S/N 1017-74, OPERATED BY MR. KARL V. ANDERSON, DEPARTED SOLO FROM A GRASS STRIP (LOCATED 10 MILES EAST OF 4G6, HORNELL AIRPORT) ON SNOW SKIS. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED, AND JUST AT ROTATION THE LEFT MAIN SKI DUG INTO SOME SOFT SNOW. THE LEFT SKI WAS RIPPED OFF THE SPRING LANDING GEAR, AND IN CORRECTING THE LEFT TORQUE CREATED BY THIS THE RIGHT SKI DRAGGED ENOUGH TO TURN OVER TO THE VERTICAL POSITION. THE PILOT CONTINUED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT, AND DECIDED TO LAND AT THE HORNELL COUNTY AIRPORT (K4G6), IN HORNELL, NY ON RUNWAY 18. THE CRASH, FIRE, AND RESCUE WAS STANDING BY. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT, AND FOUND ONLY DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING STRUTS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY 18, AND TAKEN TO AN AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE HANGAR IN PAINTED POST, NEW YORK. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE, BUT THE LEFT WING STRUTS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 7765 LOUCKS POND ROAD, AVOCA, NY 14809-9720, ON FEBRUARY 29, 2004.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.