What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 20, 2024 approximately 1735 local time, an experimental amateur-built aircraft, privacy data omitted, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near latto, Indiana. The student pilot had minor injuries. The aircraft was being operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 as a solo flight.
The flight originated from kendalville municipal airport (C62) approximately 1700 local time. The pilot proceeded to a private air strip approximately 3 miles to the northeast performed two take-offs and landings and then proceeded south approximately 18 miles to a privately owned field that is approximately 1 mile southeast of latto Indiana. The pilot attempted to land on a 400-foot field which is roughly situated east to west and that had been planted with sunflowers previously. The pilot upon approach struck an approximately 30 ft tree near the top with his left wing outboard of the wing strut. This caused the aircraft to vear left and nose down into the field contacting the field on its nose and right wing. The aircraft’s final resting position was on its gear and pointing to the north. One of the 3 propeller blades is broken off midway and the engine has shifted to the left due to the impact on the right front.
The pilot stated that he was disoriented and unable to see the tree due to the glare of the sun reflecting off the ponds near the end of the field.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 20, 2024 APPROXIMATELY 1735 LOCAL TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR LATTO, INDIANA. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AS A SOLO FLIGHT.
THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM KENDALVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (C62) APPROXIMATELY 1700 LOCAL TIME. THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO A PRIVATE AIR STRIP APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST PERFORMED TWO TAKE-OFFS AND LANDINGS AND THEN PROCEEDED SOUTH APPROXIMATELY 18 MILES TO A PRIVATELY OWNED FIELD THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE SOUTHEAST OF LATTO INDIANA. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A 400-FOOT FIELD WHICH IS ROUGHLY SITUATED EAST TO WEST AND THAT HAD BEEN PLANTED WITH SUNFLOWERS PREVIOUSLY. THE PILOT UPON APPROACH STRUCK AN APPROXIMATELY 30 FT TREE NEAR THE TOP WITH HIS LEFT WING OUTBOARD OF THE WING STRUT. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO VEAR LEFT AND NOSE DOWN INTO THE FIELD CONTACTING THE FIELD ON ITS NOSE AND RIGHT WING. THE AIRCRAFT’S FINAL RESTING POSITION WAS ON ITS GEAR AND POINTING TO THE NORTH. ONE OF THE 3 PROPELLER BLADES IS BROKEN OFF MIDWAY AND THE ENGINE HAS SHIFTED TO THE LEFT DUE TO THE IMPACT ON THE RIGHT FRONT.
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DISORIENTED AND UNABLE TO SEE THE TREE DUE TO THE GLARE OF THE SUN REFLECTING OFF THE PONDS NEAR THE END OF THE FIELD.