What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft was airborne approximately 25-30 feet when engine lost power after birds flew by. Pilot could not keep aircraft airborne and landed straight ahead. Pilot caught tailwheel on fence at end of private airstrip, and then struck unseen culvert which rolled the aircraft. Witnesses verified aircraft was airborne halfway down the 2300 foot sod runway. Muscatine county sheriff privacy data omitted found bird remains and feathers on the runway at the approximate area where the engine lost power. Pilot stated he had a cracked vertebrae but was otherwise not hurt.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE APPROXIMATELY 25-30 FEET WHEN ENGINE LOST POWER AFTER BIRDS FLEW BY. PILOT COULD NOT KEEP AIRCRAFT AIRBORNE AND LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD. PILOT CAUGHT TAILWHEEL ON FENCE AT END OF PRIVATE AIRSTRIP, AND THEN STRUCK UNSEEN CULVERT WHICH ROLLED THE AIRCRAFT. WITNESSES VERIFIED AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE HALFWAY DOWN THE 2300 FOOT SOD RUNWAY. MUSCATINE COUNTY SHERIFF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FOUND BIRD REMAINS AND FEATHERS ON THE RUNWAY AT THE APPROXIMATE AREA WHERE THE ENGINE LOST POWER. PILOT STATED HE HAD A CRACKED VERTEBRAE BUT WAS OTHERWISE NOT HURT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.