What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot stated he departed rwy 23 when he encounted a dust devil shortly after takeoff and from which he recovered but lost altitude. Further into the takeoff/departure phase he encountered air turbulence which caused a continued loss in altitude until the aircraft impacted the ground. Upon impact, the gear sheared off, fuel began leaking, and the aircraft came to rest on its back. A survey of the crash site supports the pilot's recollection of events. Both occupants were able to extricate themselves from the aircraft. This is a homebuilt aircraft which had prior damage. The pilot stated he decided to removed the canopy before beginning his trip and the canopy was not installed at the time of the crash. This seems to have made it easier for the occupants to crawl out from under the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATED HE DEPARTED RWY 23 WHEN HE ENCOUNTED A DUST DEVIL SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND FROM WHICH HE RECOVERED BUT LOST ALTITUDE. FURTHER INTO THE TAKEOFF/DEPARTURE PHASE HE ENCOUNTERED AIR TURBULENCE WHICH CAUSED A CONTINUED LOSS IN ALTITUDE UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. UPON IMPACT, THE GEAR SHEARED OFF, FUEL BEGAN LEAKING, AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS BACK. A SURVEY OF THE CRASH SITE SUPPORTS THE PILOT'S RECOLLECTION OF EVENTS. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE ABLE TO EXTRICATE THEMSELVES FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THIS IS A HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT WHICH HAD PRIOR DAMAGE. THE PILOT STATED HE DECIDED TO REMOVED THE CANOPY BEFORE BEGINNING HIS TRIP AND THE CANOPY WAS NOT INSTALLED AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE MADE IT EASIER FOR THE OCCUPANTS TO CRAWL OUT FROM UNDER THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.