What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed herold field (a pvt, grass strip located 12 NM, NE of summersville airport (sxl), on a FAR part 91 pleasure flight, and flew NE towards another pvt grass field near webster springs, WV. Shortly after leveling at 3500 ft, a large bird struck the wooden propeller, causing both blades to depart the hub. Pilot shut down the engine and attempted an off-airport, emergency landing. The aircraft touched down on an approximate heading of 120 degrees, struck a wire fence that turned the aircraft to the left. Aircraft continued rolling out on a heading of approximately 040 degrees, then dropped over a 3.5 foot embankment, causing the aircraft to flip over and come to rest inverted, heading 220 degrees.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HEROLD FIELD (A PVT, GRASS STRIP LOCATED 12 NM, NE OF SUMMERSVILLE AIRPORT (SXL), ON A FAR PART 91 PLEASURE FLIGHT, AND FLEW NE TOWARDS ANOTHER PVT GRASS FIELD NEAR WEBSTER SPRINGS, WV. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT 3500 FT, A LARGE BIRD STRUCK THE WOODEN PROPELLER, CAUSING BOTH BLADES TO DEPART THE HUB. PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND ATTEMPTED AN OFF-AIRPORT, EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON AN APPROXIMATE HEADING OF 120 DEGREES, STRUCK A WIRE FENCE THAT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ROLLING OUT ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 040 DEGREES, THEN DROPPED OVER A 3.5 FOOT EMBANKMENT, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER AND COME TO REST INVERTED, HEADING 220 DEGREES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.