What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was interested in buying the Challenger II amateur built airplane. Prior to takeoff he performed a pre-buy inspection, engine run up and performed a high-speed taxi. After liftoff from airport 7Y2, runway 27, the airplane immediately started to drift left of the runway. The pilot stated that he used the controls to correct the left drift and the airplane flew back over the runway and briefly settled. During the climb out, approximately 100FT AGL, the airplane again began an "uncommanded" left turn. The airplane impacted a tree about 200 yards left of the runway, coming to rest inverted. The engine maintained normal power throughout the flight. The airplane is substantially damaged from the impact with the tree and ground. The pilot was not injured.
Weather reported at nearby airport kcad was VMC with winds variable at 5MPH.
The FAA on-site examination did not find any mechanical malfunctions/separations to the flight controls (ailerons, elevators, and rudder). The only flight control anomaly was the rudder cables were slack due to impact-related damage on the nose and rudder pedals. An additional observation was that the airplane was not equipped with a stationary trim tab on the elevator or rudder. The current owner did state that the airplane required constant right rudder input to maintain a straight flight path.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS INTERESTED IN BUYING THE CHALLENGER II AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE. PRIOR TO TAKEOFF HE PERFORMED A PRE-BUY INSPECTION, ENGINE RUN UP AND PERFORMED A HIGH-SPEED TAXI. AFTER LIFTOFF FROM AIRPORT 7Y2, RUNWAY 27, THE AIRPLANE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO DRIFT LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE USED THE CONTROLS TO CORRECT THE LEFT DRIFT AND THE AIRPLANE FLEW BACK OVER THE RUNWAY AND BRIEFLY SETTLED. DURING THE CLIMB OUT, APPROXIMATELY 100FT AGL, THE AIRPLANE AGAIN BEGAN AN "UNCOMMANDED" LEFT TURN. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A TREE ABOUT 200 YARDS LEFT OF THE RUNWAY, COMING TO REST INVERTED. THE ENGINE MAINTAINED NORMAL POWER THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE IS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FROM THE IMPACT WITH THE TREE AND GROUND. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
WEATHER REPORTED AT NEARBY AIRPORT KCAD WAS VMC WITH WINDS VARIABLE AT 5MPH.
THE FAA ON-SITE EXAMINATION DID NOT FIND ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS/SEPARATIONS TO THE FLIGHT CONTROLS (AILERONS, ELEVATORS, AND RUDDER). THE ONLY FLIGHT CONTROL ANOMALY WAS THE RUDDER CABLES WERE SLACK DUE TO IMPACT-RELATED DAMAGE ON THE NOSE AND RUDDER PEDALS. AN ADDITIONAL OBSERVATION WAS THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A STATIONARY TRIM TAB ON THE ELEVATOR OR RUDDER. THE CURRENT OWNER DID STATE THAT THE AIRPLANE REQUIRED CONSTANT RIGHT RUDDER INPUT TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT FLIGHT PATH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.