What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Experimental weight shift aircraft was taking off in no wind conditions with a pilot and one passenger onboard. Unable to interview pilot due to injuries at time. Passenger reports are as follows: aircraft departed surface of the private grass field at 45 to 55 mph, the aircraft made a left turn, he his not sure if pilot intended to turn left at that time or not. The aircraft cleared a fence at the edge of the field but did not clear the brush beyond the fence and went into the brush approxiately 10 feet above the ground. After engageing the brush the pilot lost contol of the aircraft and the aircraft impacted the ground abruptly, causing substantial damage to the aircraft and injuring the pilot and passenger. Passenger was unconcious and does not remember anymore. Pilot was seriously injured and taken to a hospital.
As the FAA filed it
EXPERIMENTAL WEIGHT SHIFT AIRCRAFT WAS TAKING OFF IN NO WIND CONDITIONS WITH A PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ONBOARD. UNABLE TO INTERVIEW PILOT DUE TO INJURIES AT TIME. PASSENGER REPORTS ARE AS FOLLOWS: AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SURFACE OF THE PRIVATE GRASS FIELD AT 45 TO 55 MPH, THE AIRCRAFT MADE A LEFT TURN, HE HIS NOT SURE IF PILOT INTENDED TO TURN LEFT AT THAT TIME OR NOT. THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED A FENCE AT THE EDGE OF THE FIELD BUT DID NOT CLEAR THE BRUSH BEYOND THE FENCE AND WENT INTO THE BRUSH APPROXIATELY 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. AFTER ENGAGEING THE BRUSH THE PILOT LOST CONTOL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND ABRUPTLY, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND INJURING THE PILOT AND PASSENGER. PASSENGER WAS UNCONCIOUS AND DOES NOT REMEMBER ANYMORE. PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.