What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 06/30/2004, the owner/builder PIC taxied the aircraft out to r/w 05-23 to perform three high speed taxi runs with no intention of flight. Prior to this, the PIC and boon hargrove, the team tango plant manager had both taxied the aircraft and noted no discrepancies. The first taxi run was up to 40 KTS. On r/w 23. The second taxi run was in the opposite direction on r/w 05 up to 60 KTS. The third run was on r/w 23 reaching an indicated airspeed between 60 to 70 KTS. When the aircraft drifted to the left. The PIC retarded the throttle and applied right rudder, but was not able to keep the aircraft on the r/w. as the aircraft departed the left side of the r/w, the PIC added power and rotated the aircraft. It became airborne, but wallowing. Then it descended back to the ground and the PIC cut the power. Shortly thereafter, during the ground roll, the nose lg collapsed aft and the aircraft flipped over and came to rest upside down with it's nose pointing to the north. There was no fire. Due to impact, the vertical fin failed to the right, both prop. Blades broke off and both the rudder and canopy were damaged. The PIC was assisted out of the aircraft by ground personnel, taken to a local hospital, and released later that evening.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 06/30/2004, THE OWNER/BUILDER PIC TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT OUT TO R/W 05-23 TO PERFORM THREE HIGH SPEED TAXI RUNS WITH NO INTENTION OF FLIGHT. PRIOR TO THIS, THE PIC AND BOON HARGROVE, THE TEAM TANGO PLANT MANAGER HAD BOTH TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT AND NOTED NO DISCREPANCIES. THE FIRST TAXI RUN WAS UP TO 40 KTS. ON R/W 23. THE SECOND TAXI RUN WAS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON R/W 05 UP TO 60 KTS. THE THIRD RUN WAS ON R/W 23 REACHING AN INDICATED AIRSPEED BETWEEN 60 TO 70 KTS. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT. THE PIC RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE R/W. AS THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE R/W, THE PIC ADDED POWER AND ROTATED THE AIRCRAFT. IT BECAME AIRBORNE, BUT WALLOWING. THEN IT DESCENDED BACK TO THE GROUND AND THE PIC CUT THE POWER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, DURING THE GROUND ROLL, THE NOSE LG COLLAPSED AFT AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER AND CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN WITH IT'S NOSE POINTING TO THE NORTH. THERE WAS NO FIRE. DUE TO IMPACT, THE VERTICAL FIN FAILED TO THE RIGHT, BOTH PROP. BLADES BROKE OFF AND BOTH THE RUDDER AND CANOPY WERE DAMAGED. THE PIC WAS ASSISTED OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT BY GROUND PERSONNEL, TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL, AND RELEASED LATER THAT EVENING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.