What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After being advised to make other arrangements to move the aircraft, it was determined that the pilot had attempted to take-off from an alfalfa field as the flaps were deployed. However the aircraft apparently failed to gain sufficent airspeed to maintain altitude and in an apparent nose down attitude, the nose wheel first touched the ground, then the right main wheel, then the right wingtip contacted the ground, causing the aircraft to flip over/nose over onto its back in adjoining corn field. A brief visual inspection shows that both wings were substantially damaged; the left side of fuselage has a buckle at the left wing strut attach point, the propeller bent, vertical stab significantly bent from ground contact. The aircraft was airborne for a minimum of 70 yds before making ground contact.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER BEING ADVISED TO MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PILOT HAD ATTEMPTED TO TAKE-OFF FROM AN ALFALFA FIELD AS THE FLAPS WERE DEPLOYED. HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT APPARENTLY FAILED TO GAIN SUFFICENT AIRSPEED TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND IN AN APPARENT NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, THE NOSE WHEEL FIRST TOUCHED THE GROUND, THEN THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL, THEN THE RIGHT WINGTIP CONTACTED THE GROUND, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER/NOSE OVER ONTO ITS BACK IN ADJOINING CORN FIELD. A BRIEF VISUAL INSPECTION SHOWS THAT BOTH WINGS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED; THE LEFT SIDE OF FUSELAGE HAS A BUCKLE AT THE LEFT WING STRUT ATTACH POINT, THE PROPELLER BENT, VERTICAL STAB SIGNIFICANTLY BENT FROM GROUND CONTACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE FOR A MINIMUM OF 70 YDS BEFORE MAKING GROUND CONTACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.