What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed keik at approx. 09:50 local. Aircraft was on crosswind leg to the west when according to a statement by the pilot given to the boulder county sheriff that after takeoff it felt as if an engine mount had broken. According to witnesses the aircraft was low, slow, and nose high with wings staggering as he cleared a public building area. Shortly after clearing the structures and fence and attempting to land in a field the left wing dropped abruptly prior to landing, striking the ground. This action initiated the aircraft into a cartwheeling motion where the engine, and tailcone section were severed from the center fuselage area. Aircraft came to rest facing approximately 180 degrees from approach.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KEIK AT APPROX. 09:50 LOCAL. AIRCRAFT WAS ON CROSSWIND LEG TO THE WEST WHEN ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT BY THE PILOT GIVEN TO THE BOULDER COUNTY SHERIFF THAT AFTER TAKEOFF IT FELT AS IF AN ENGINE MOUNT HAD BROKEN. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOW, SLOW, AND NOSE HIGH WITH WINGS STAGGERING AS HE CLEARED A PUBLIC BUILDING AREA. SHORTLY AFTER CLEARING THE STRUCTURES AND FENCE AND ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A FIELD THE LEFT WING DROPPED ABRUPTLY PRIOR TO LANDING, STRIKING THE GROUND. THIS ACTION INITIATED THE AIRCRAFT INTO A CARTWHEELING MOTION WHERE THE ENGINE, AND TAILCONE SECTION WERE SEVERED FROM THE CENTER FUSELAGE AREA. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST FACING APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES FROM APPROACH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.