What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Not reported to the FAA until 10/11/06 NTSB statement: on may 15, 2006, approximately 2000 mountain daylight time, an experimental helmer avid magnum, N124WT, collided with a fence during a takeoff from a Private airstrip near Big Timber, Montana. The Private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircraft, which is owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The pilot was departing in visual meteorological conditions for a local personal flight. According to the pilot, at the beginning of his takeoff roll, the aircraft door popped open, so he shut it. Then a few moments later, the door popped open again, and the pilot closed it a second time. While he was closing the door for the second time, the aircraft veered off the left side of the runway. At that point, the pilot saw that the aircraft was heading for a gate post and a fence, so he pulled the stick back in hopes of clearing the obstacles. But, the aircraft's left wing impacted the post, and the aircraft spun around about 200 degrees, and came to rest with its right wing entangled in the fence structure.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) NOT REPORTED TO THE FAA UNTIL 10/11/06 NTSB STATEMENT: ON MAY 15, 2006, APPROXIMATELY 2000 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL HELMER AVID MAGNUM, N124WT, COLLIDED WITH A FENCE DURING A TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR BIG TIMBER, MONTANA. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED, BUT THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS DEPARTING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS FOR A LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT DOOR POPPED OPEN, SO HE SHUT IT. THEN A FEW MOMENTS LATER, THE DOOR POPPED OPEN AGAIN, AND THE PILOT CLOSED IT A SECOND TIME. WHILE HE WAS CLOSING THE DOOR FOR THE SECOND TIME, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AT THAT POINT, THE PILOT SAW THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING FOR A GATE POST AND A FENCE, SO HE PULLED THE STICK BACK IN HOPES OF CLEARING THE OBSTACLES. BUT, THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING IMPACTED THE POST, AND THE AIRCRAFT SPUN AROUND ABOUT 200 DEGREES, AND CAME TO REST WITH ITS RIGHT WING ENTANGLED IN THE FENCE STRUCTURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.