What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 11, 2005 at approximately 0852 local time, the pilot of experimental amateur built aircraft N835RA, a model rda 04 (hummelbird), executed a take off from runway 22 at Clovis Municipal Airport (cvn). The airplane experienced a rough running engine shortly after take off, the pilot estimated that he was 300 ft AGL at that point. The pilot initiated a teardrop turn to the left to try to return to runway 22. The aircraft lost power and altitude and the pilot decided to land in the grassy area approximately 600 feet east of runway 22. The aircraft main gear initially hit an embankment surrounding a playa lake east of the runway. The airplane became airborne again and continued north for approximately 528 feet then landed hard causing both main landing gear to shear close to their attach points. The aircraft was on a heading of approximately 040 degrees at the time of impact. The main gear caused damage to the right wing spar. The fuselage buckled aft of the canopy location. The propeller blades were damaged on impact, and there was damage to the left wing leading edge and right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot was not injured. No other occupants were onboard.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 11, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 0852 LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT OF EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT N835RA, A MODEL RDA 04 (HUMMELBIRD), EXECUTED A TAKE OFF FROM RUNWAY 22 AT CLOVIS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (CVN). THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF, THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT HE WAS 300 FT AGL AT THAT POINT. THE PILOT INITIATED A TEARDROP TURN TO THE LEFT TO TRY TO RETURN TO RUNWAY 22. THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND IN THE GRASSY AREA APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET EAST OF RUNWAY 22. THE AIRCRAFT MAIN GEAR INITIALLY HIT AN EMBANKMENT SURROUNDING A PLAYA LAKE EAST OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN AND CONTINUED NORTH FOR APPROXIMATELY 528 FEET THEN LANDED HARD CAUSING BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR TO SHEAR CLOSE TO THEIR ATTACH POINTS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 040 DEGREES AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. THE MAIN GEAR CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING SPAR. THE FUSELAGE BUCKLED AFT OF THE CANOPY LOCATION. THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE DAMAGED ON IMPACT, AND THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE AND RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. NO OTHER OCCUPANTS WERE ONBOARD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.