What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 24, 2020, at 1159 PDT, N138PM, an experimental, operating amateur built RV-8, stalled/spun and impacted the roof of a commercial building at the Tehachapi Municipal Airport, ktsp, in Tehachapi, CA. N138PM departed from the whiteman airport, kwhp, pacoima, CA, at approximately 1130 PDT. The aircraft departed with another aircraft, in 'loose formation' for ktsp.
Accident aircraft reportedly entered straight in for runway 29, with the second aircraft following. Upon touchdown, witnesses observed accident aircraft oscillate between its tailwheel and main landing gear, before it tipped up onto the left main gear. The accident aircraft turned toward the right edge of the runway, and appeared to slow. Accident pilot declared a 'go around' over the CTAF. The witnesses observed the aircraft accelerate abruptly, and heard the engine 'cough a number of times' before running smoothly. Witnesses observed the aircraft lift off quickly, then made a slow turn toward a left crosswind, with the nose of the accident aircraft at an 'alarmingly high' angle of attack. Within seconds, the aircraft disappeared below the tree line, and the impact was heard by the witnesses.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 24, 2020, AT 1159 PDT, N138PM, AN EXPERIMENTAL, OPERATING AMATEUR BUILT RV-8, STALLED/SPUN AND IMPACTED THE ROOF OF A COMMERCIAL BUILDING AT THE TEHACHAPI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, KTSP, IN TEHACHAPI, CA. N138PM DEPARTED FROM THE WHITEMAN AIRPORT, KWHP, PACOIMA, CA, AT APPROXIMATELY 1130 PDT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WITH ANOTHER AIRCRAFT, IN 'LOOSE FORMATION' FOR KTSP.
ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT REPORTEDLY ENTERED STRAIGHT IN FOR RUNWAY 29, WITH THE SECOND AIRCRAFT FOLLOWING. UPON TOUCHDOWN, WITNESSES OBSERVED ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT OSCILLATE BETWEEN ITS TAILWHEEL AND MAIN LANDING GEAR, BEFORE IT TIPPED UP ONTO THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT TURNED TOWARD THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY, AND APPEARED TO SLOW. ACCIDENT PILOT DECLARED A 'GO AROUND' OVER THE CTAF. THE WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATE ABRUPTLY, AND HEARD THE ENGINE 'COUGH A NUMBER OF TIMES' BEFORE RUNNING SMOOTHLY. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT LIFT OFF QUICKLY, THEN MADE A SLOW TURN TOWARD A LEFT CROSSWIND, WITH THE NOSE OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT AT AN 'ALARMINGLY HIGH' ANGLE OF ATTACK. WITHIN SECONDS, THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED BELOW THE TREE LINE, AND THE IMPACT WAS HEARD BY THE WITNESSES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.