What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 01/16/2017 at approximately 0900 local time, the student pilot of American champion N2540F attempted to land at Decatur county airport, Bainbridge, GA. At approximately 50 feet from the end of runway 09 the pilot pulled back on power for touchdown. As the aircraft descended, the left wing suddenly dropped and the left main wheel touched the runway causing the aircraft to begin turning to the right. The pilot attempted to correct the aircraft using rudder and aileron control at which time the tail came up and the aircraft continued off the right side of the runway at approximately 800 feet from initial touchdown. When both main landing gear wheels touched the grass, the propeller and nose cowling struck the ground, the engine abruptly stopped and the aircraft turned over onto its back. The pilot then turned the magneto and master switch off, released his harness, exited the aircraft and call 911.
As the FAA filed it
ON 01/16/2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 LOCAL TIME, THE STUDENT PILOT OF AMERICAN CHAMPION N2540F ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT DECATUR COUNTY AIRPORT, BAINBRIDGE, GA. AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 09 THE PILOT PULLED BACK ON POWER FOR TOUCHDOWN. AS THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED, THE LEFT WING SUDDENLY DROPPED AND THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL TOUCHED THE RUNWAY CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BEGIN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE AIRCRAFT USING RUDDER AND AILERON CONTROL AT WHICH TIME THE TAIL CAME UP AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET FROM INITIAL TOUCHDOWN. WHEN BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEELS TOUCHED THE GRASS, THE PROPELLER AND NOSE COWLING STRUCK THE GROUND, THE ENGINE ABRUPTLY STOPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT TURNED OVER ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT THEN TURNED THE MAGNETO AND MASTER SWITCH OFF, RELEASED HIS HARNESS, EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND CALL 911.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.