What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 03, 2005, about 1649 eastern daylight time, a Aeronca-11CC, N4337E, was substantially damaged when after takeoff from a Private grass strip local at the black willow farm in Charlotte, Vermont. The aircraft crashed in a field 3/4 of a mile north of the departure point. The certificated Private pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The aircraft was in storage since November of 2004. The Private pilot, prior to his departure washed the aircraft. The pilot of the aircraft departed northbound from a grass strip approximately 1600 or 1700 feet in length with a southerly tailwind. The aircraft was at tree top level, at a high angle of attack, the aircraft wings rocked back and forth, the nose descended downward. The aircraft stayed aloft for approximately 2 to 3 minutes. One of the wing tips struck small branches off a large tree. The left wing scraped some brushes leaving red paint marking as the wing was lifted in the air when the right wing packed the ground. The aircraft was turned 180 degrees facing south. One of the propeller blades was bent back on a 90-degree angle. The main gear was torqued all the way to the left.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 03, 2005, ABOUT 1649 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A AERONCA-11CC, N4337E, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP LOCAL AT THE BLACK WILLOW FARM IN CHARLOTTE, VERMONT. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A FIELD 3/4 OF A MILE NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE POINT. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN STORAGE SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2004. THE PRIVATE PILOT, PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE WASHED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NORTHBOUND FROM A GRASS STRIP APPROXIMATELY 1600 OR 1700 FEET IN LENGTH WITH A SOUTHERLY TAILWIND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT TREE TOP LEVEL, AT A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK, THE AIRCRAFT WINGS ROCKED BACK AND FORTH, THE NOSE DESCENDED DOWNWARD. THE AIRCRAFT STAYED ALOFT FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 MINUTES. ONE OF THE WING TIPS STRUCK SMALL BRANCHES OFF A LARGE TREE. THE LEFT WING SCRAPED SOME BRUSHES LEAVING RED PAINT MARKING AS THE WING WAS LIFTED IN THE AIR WHEN THE RIGHT WING PACKED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TURNED 180 DEGREES FACING SOUTH. ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADES WAS BENT BACK ON A 90-DEGREE ANGLE. THE MAIN GEAR WAS TORQUED ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.