What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N744PK a homebuilt mariner aircraft sustained substantial damage after its left wing struck the ground while attempting to land at the Eagle River airport, Eagle River, Wisconsin on September 21, 2004. The pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft sustained serious injuries. The pilot reported that it was the first flight for the newly built aircraft. He stated the rotation on takeoff seemed normal but as the aircraft climbed out of ground effect he had trouble controlling the pitch, roll and yaw of the aircraft. He stated that because of these problems he decided to circle the airport and come back in for a landing on runway 22. The pilot stated that just as the aircraft was about to touchdown, a gust of wind lifted the right wing and the left wing struck the ground. privacy data omitted The Eagle River airport manager witnessed the accident. He stated that after liftoff the aircraft porpoised twice and then started climbing. He stated the aircraft looked like it was having control problems and could not stay in coordinated flight. privacy data omitted Stated that it appeared every time the aircraft turned to the left the airplane would skid to the right. He stated that during the attempted landing the aircraft appeared very uncoordinated and started porpoising four to five times above the runway. He stated the left wing tip struck the ground and stayed in that position until the airplane ultimately came to rest on its nose about 100 feet southeast of the 4-22 sign. The reported surface winds at the time of the accident were 220 degrees and 06 knots. Airworthinesss inspector timothy derner of the milwaukee FSDO inspected the aircraft on September 24, 2004. Continuity of the flight controls was established. The inspection did not reveal any preaccident malfunctions.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N744PK A HOMEBUILT MARINER AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER ITS LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT THE EAGLE RIVER AIRPORT, EAGLE RIVER, WISCONSIN ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2004. THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT IT WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT FOR THE NEWLY BUILT AIRCRAFT. HE STATED THE ROTATION ON TAKEOFF SEEMED NORMAL BUT AS THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED OUT OF GROUND EFFECT HE HAD TROUBLE CONTROLLING THE PITCH, ROLL AND YAW OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE STATED THAT BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS HE DECIDED TO CIRCLE THE AIRPORT AND COME BACK IN FOR A LANDING ON RUNWAY 22. THE PILOT STATED THAT JUST AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT TO TOUCHDOWN, A GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE RIGHT WING AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE EAGLE RIVER AIRPORT MANAGER WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT. HE STATED THAT AFTER LIFTOFF THE AIRCRAFT PORPOISED TWICE AND THEN STARTED CLIMBING. HE STATED THE AIRCRAFT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS HAVING CONTROL PROBLEMS AND COULD NOT STAY IN COORDINATED FLIGHT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT IT APPEARED EVERY TIME THE AIRCRAFT TURNED TO THE LEFT THE AIRPLANE WOULD SKID TO THE RIGHT. HE STATED THAT DURING THE ATTEMPTED LANDING THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED VERY UNCOORDINATED AND STARTED PORPOISING FOUR TO FIVE TIMES ABOVE THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE GROUND AND STAYED IN THAT POSITION UNTIL THE AIRPLANE ULTIMATELY CAME TO REST ON ITS NOSE ABOUT 100 FEET SOUTHEAST OF THE 4-22 SIGN. THE REPORTED SURFACE WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE 220 DEGREES AND 06 KNOTS. AIRWORTHINESSS INSPECTOR TIMOTHY DERNER OF THE MILWAUKEE FSDO INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2004. CONTINUITY OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WAS ESTABLISHED. THE INSPECTION DID NOT REVEAL ANY PREACCIDENT MALFUNCTIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.