What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The homebuilt aircraft experienced a severe elevator flutter after departure and made an emergeny landing in a vacant corn field. The aircraft received minor damage to the landing gear , prop, engine and cowling due to the hard landing that followed. No injuries were received. A pilot witness reported seeing the left elevator vibrate violently during takeoff. Subsequent inspection revealed water from the previous nights rain had entered the control surface affecting its balance. The pilot, who was also the aircraft builder, stated that the aircraft plans did not require water drain holes.
As the FAA filed it
THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A SEVERE ELEVATOR FLUTTER AFTER DEPARTURE AND MADE AN EMERGENY LANDING IN A VACANT CORN FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR , PROP, ENGINE AND COWLING DUE TO THE HARD LANDING THAT FOLLOWED. NO INJURIES WERE RECEIVED. A PILOT WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE LEFT ELEVATOR VIBRATE VIOLENTLY DURING TAKEOFF. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED WATER FROM THE PREVIOUS NIGHTS RAIN HAD ENTERED THE CONTROL SURFACE AFFECTING ITS BALANCE. THE PILOT, WHO WAS ALSO THE AIRCRAFT BUILDER, STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT PLANS DID NOT REQUIRE WATER DRAIN HOLES.
Other reports on N921SS · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.