What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot initiated takeoff to remain in the traffic pattern of his first flight of an experimental amateur-built aircraft after it had received certification. Just after lift-off and before climb, he stated that he climbed no more than about 30 feet when he felt something "let go". When queried, he stated that he meant that it felt as though the engine had lost some power. He also stated that he knew the aircraft was slow and he was planning to abort the takeoff even though he was airborne. He stated that he simply had the aircraft stall on him and roll very hard to the right. He stated that the roll onset was so sudden and at such at low altitude that he didn't have time to react before the aircraft became nearly totally inverted and had descended low enough for the upper right wingtip to contact the runway. The aircraft slid 250 feet to a stop in an inverted position and the pilot exited under his own power with only scrapes, surface lacerations, and contusions.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT INITIATED TAKEOFF TO REMAIN IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN OF HIS FIRST FLIGHT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT AFTER IT HAD RECEIVED CERTIFICATION. JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF AND BEFORE CLIMB, HE STATED THAT HE CLIMBED NO MORE THAN ABOUT 30 FEET WHEN HE FELT SOMETHING "LET GO". WHEN QUERIED, HE STATED THAT HE MEANT THAT IT FELT AS THOUGH THE ENGINE HAD LOST SOME POWER. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE KNEW THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLOW AND HE WAS PLANNING TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF EVEN THOUGH HE WAS AIRBORNE. HE STATED THAT HE SIMPLY HAD THE AIRCRAFT STALL ON HIM AND ROLL VERY HARD TO THE RIGHT. HE STATED THAT THE ROLL ONSET WAS SO SUDDEN AND AT SUCH AT LOW ALTITUDE THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO REACT BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT BECAME NEARLY TOTALLY INVERTED AND HAD DESCENDED LOW ENOUGH FOR THE UPPER RIGHT WINGTIP TO CONTACT THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT SLID 250 FEET TO A STOP IN AN INVERTED POSITION AND THE PILOT EXITED UNDER HIS OWN POWER WITH ONLY SCRAPES, SURFACE LACERATIONS, AND CONTUSIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.