What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The PIC was performing his third phase one flight test of his amateur-built just aircraft highlander. Winds were out of the west at 8 knots, gusting to 15 knots. On rollout after landing on runway 13, the pilot experienced a crosswind that pushed the aircraft left off the runway. Thirty feet off the runway the nose landing gear struck the basin of a drainage ditch that brought the nose-down aircraft to a sudden halt, causing it to flip forward over the nose. The aircraft sustained substantial damage including damage to the propeller, nose landing gear, right wing strut, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot suffered a laceration above the left eye requiring eleven stitches. The pilot noted no mechanical discrepancies prior to or during the flight.
As the FAA filed it
THE PIC WAS PERFORMING HIS THIRD PHASE ONE FLIGHT TEST OF HIS AMATEUR-BUILT JUST AIRCRAFT HIGHLANDER. WINDS WERE OUT OF THE WEST AT 8 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 15 KNOTS. ON ROLLOUT AFTER LANDING ON RUNWAY 13, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A CROSSWIND THAT PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY. THIRTY FEET OFF THE RUNWAY THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE BASIN OF A DRAINAGE DITCH THAT BROUGHT THE NOSE-DOWN AIRCRAFT TO A SUDDEN HALT, CAUSING IT TO FLIP FORWARD OVER THE NOSE. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE INCLUDING DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, NOSE LANDING GEAR, RIGHT WING STRUT, AND VERTICAL STABILIZER. THE PILOT SUFFERED A LACERATION ABOVE THE LEFT EYE REQUIRING ELEVEN STITCHES. THE PILOT NOTED NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES PRIOR TO OR DURING THE FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.