What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated on the return trip from north carolina, he experienced
Turbulence while cruising at 55OO feet. The pilot felt shaking or jerking lasting only a second or two. He heard noise like a cracking sound or possibly the sound of a quart of oil loose in the baggage compartment. After disconnecting the autopilot, the plane handled normally, although he did hear a small noise towards the rear of the airplane that was unusual but it did not happen again. After landing at Columbia owens field, Columbia, SC, the airplane did porpoise and it took longer to clear the runway. After parking the airplane and cleaning the bottom, the pilot noticed cracks on the fuselege bottom near the tailwheel.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED ON THE RETURN TRIP FROM NORTH CAROLINA, HE EXPERIENCED
TURBULENCE WHILE CRUISING AT 55OO FEET. THE PILOT FELT SHAKING OR JERKING LASTING ONLY A SECOND OR TWO. HE HEARD NOISE LIKE A CRACKING SOUND OR POSSIBLY THE SOUND OF A QUART OF OIL LOOSE IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. AFTER DISCONNECTING THE AUTOPILOT, THE PLANE HANDLED NORMALLY, ALTHOUGH HE DID HEAR A SMALL NOISE TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE AIRPLANE THAT WAS UNUSUAL BUT IT DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. AFTER LANDING AT COLUMBIA OWENS FIELD, COLUMBIA, SC, THE AIRPLANE DID PORPOISE AND IT TOOK LONGER TO CLEAR THE RUNWAY. AFTER PARKING THE AIRPLANE AND CLEANING THE BOTTOM, THE PILOT NOTICED CRACKS ON THE FUSELEGE BOTTOM NEAR THE TAILWHEEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.