What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 12, 2011, at approximately 1730 CDT, an experimental amateur-built (model zenith CH-701) crashed just west of rwy 15 at the Davenport, Iowa municipal airport (dvn). The aircraft was in the test flight phase and had 19 hours total time. The pilot took off on rwy 15 and began to climb. At about 50 feet, the pilot noticed the left rudder pedal was not responding. The aircraft veered hard right, with full aileron deflection, he continued to climb. He intended to circle back to land on rwy 15, but was unable to maneuver the aircraft to the runway. He then decided to land in an open area just west of rwy 15. The aircraft touched down and traveled through a drainage ditch; the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to a stop. The right wing, right side fuselage, propeller, engine, and nose were substantially damaged. The pilot was the only occupant on board, and was uninjured in the mishap.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 12, 2011, AT APPROXIMATELY 1730 CDT, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT (MODEL ZENITH CH-701) CRASHED JUST WEST OF RWY 15 AT THE DAVENPORT, IOWA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (DVN). THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE TEST FLIGHT PHASE AND HAD 19 HOURS TOTAL TIME. THE PILOT TOOK OFF ON RWY 15 AND BEGAN TO CLIMB. AT ABOUT 50 FEET, THE PILOT NOTICED THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL WAS NOT RESPONDING. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED HARD RIGHT, WITH FULL AILERON DEFLECTION, HE CONTINUED TO CLIMB. HE INTENDED TO CIRCLE BACK TO LAND ON RWY 15, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RUNWAY. HE THEN DECIDED TO LAND IN AN OPEN AREA JUST WEST OF RWY 15. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND TRAVELED THROUGH A DRAINAGE DITCH; THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP. THE RIGHT WING, RIGHT SIDE FUSELAGE, PROPELLER, ENGINE, AND NOSE WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT ON BOARD, AND WAS UNINJURED IN THE MISHAP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.