What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 09/20/2013 light sport instructor privacy data omitted crashed shortly after lift-off at ridgley airpark, ridgley, MD. privacy data omitted Was demonstrating a soft field takeoff to his student privacy data omitted. Shortly after takeoff the aircraft began drifting left of the runway centerline crashing about 300 feet left of centerline and approximately 1500 feet down the runway. Witnesses stated that the aircraft never got more than 30 feet into the air. When the aircraft struck the ground it hit a hang glider that was being assembled by its operator privacy data omitted. privacy data omitted Did not see the approaching aircraft because he was facing toward his hang glider during assembly. He was struck by some flying debris which cut his ear. He spoke to the pilot briefly before going to the emergency room to get stitched up. privacy data omitted Stated that the everything seemed normal until he started drifting left. He said he was applying full right rudder in attempt to stop the aircraft from drifting left but it did not seem to have any effect. The engine was running fine and making full power.
As the FAA filed it
ON 09/20/2013 LIGHT SPORT INSTRUCTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF AT RIDGLEY AIRPARK, RIDGLEY, MD. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS DEMONSTRATING A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF TO HIS STUDENT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN DRIFTING LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE CRASHING ABOUT 300 FEET LEFT OF CENTERLINE AND APPROXIMATELY 1500 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT NEVER GOT MORE THAN 30 FEET INTO THE AIR. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND IT HIT A HANG GLIDER THAT WAS BEING ASSEMBLED BY ITS OPERATOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DID NOT SEE THE APPROACHING AIRCRAFT BECAUSE HE WAS FACING TOWARD HIS HANG GLIDER DURING ASSEMBLY. HE WAS STRUCK BY SOME FLYING DEBRIS WHICH CUT HIS EAR. HE SPOKE TO THE PILOT BRIEFLY BEFORE GOING TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM TO GET STITCHED UP. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT THE EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL UNTIL HE STARTED DRIFTING LEFT. HE SAID HE WAS APPLYING FULL RIGHT RUDDER IN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT FROM DRIFTING LEFT BUT IT DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY EFFECT. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE AND MAKING FULL POWER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.