What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 16, 2018, the pilot in command (PIC) of N81047, a Johnson Air Cam experimental homebuilt aircraft, was preparing to depart Galt field, IL (10C). The weather at waukegan national airport (ugn) (closest weather reporting facility, 23NM east) was visual meteorological conditions (VMC), and winds from the southeast at approximately 10 knots.
The pilot in command (PIC) radioed he would back taxi on runway 9 from the main parking area on the west end of the field and depart runway 27. After taxiing approximately 450 feet, the pilot made a 180-degree turn and began his takeoff roll. Video evidence shows the airplane became airborne approximately 50 feet from the departure threshold, climbed to approximately 50-75 feet above the ground, turned right as the nose dropped and impacted the ground approximately 80 feet north of the runway right wing first, then nose.
With the assistance of Rotax representative jordan paskevich, both engines were inspected, started and checked for proper operation. Engine run ups were normal and did not reveal any malfunctions. Also, flight control continuity was checked and was found to be present on all engine and flight controls. Overall inspection of the aircraft did not indicate any pre-impact failures.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 16, 2018, THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) OF N81047, A JOHNSON AIR CAM EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT, WAS PREPARING TO DEPART GALT FIELD, IL (10C). THE WEATHER AT WAUKEGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT (UGN) (CLOSEST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY, 23NM EAST) WAS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC), AND WINDS FROM THE SOUTHEAST AT APPROXIMATELY 10 KNOTS.
THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) RADIOED HE WOULD BACK TAXI ON RUNWAY 9 FROM THE MAIN PARKING AREA ON THE WEST END OF THE FIELD AND DEPART RUNWAY 27. AFTER TAXIING APPROXIMATELY 450 FEET, THE PILOT MADE A 180-DEGREE TURN AND BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF ROLL. VIDEO EVIDENCE SHOWS THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE THRESHOLD, CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 50-75 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, TURNED RIGHT AS THE NOSE DROPPED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 80 FEET NORTH OF THE RUNWAY RIGHT WING FIRST, THEN NOSE.
WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ROTAX REPRESENTATIVE JORDAN PASKEVICH, BOTH ENGINES WERE INSPECTED, STARTED AND CHECKED FOR PROPER OPERATION. ENGINE RUN UPS WERE NORMAL AND DID NOT REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTIONS. ALSO, FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CHECKED AND WAS FOUND TO BE PRESENT ON ALL ENGINE AND FLIGHT CONTROLS. OVERALL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT INDICATE ANY PRE-IMPACT FAILURES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.