What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On the afternoon of 11/26/2025, during an attempted takeoff roll, pilot experienced sudden and unexplained yaw to the left in a mini max which is a short-coupled tailwheel amateur-built experimental aircraft. Pilot rapidly corrected with right rudder and cut power to idle. Full right rudder authority was quickly exhausted, and, despite full right rudder use and power adjustment, the aircraft continued on its leftward path. It became evident that the aircraft would soon exit the runway, whereupon brakes were applied in addition to the continued use of full right rudder/steer. The brake setup is bilateral and synchronized; differential braking for the purposes of steering is thus not possible. While continuing its trajectory, and failing to yield to the corrective input, the aircraft exited the runway and struck an airport sign. The aircraft sustained damage to the left wing and aileron. The sign was not functionally damaged. Prior to the flight, pilot noted a mild crosswind from the right (~260 at ~6 on rwy 190). The aircraft was taxied out of the occurrence area and tied down on the ramp. Pilot contacted the NTSB immediately thereafter. Preflight inspection had not revealed abnormalities
As the FAA filed it
ON THE AFTERNOON OF 11/26/2025, DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF ROLL, PILOT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND UNEXPLAINED YAW TO THE LEFT IN A MINI MAX WHICH IS A SHORT-COUPLED TAILWHEEL AMATEUR-BUILT EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT. PILOT RAPIDLY CORRECTED WITH RIGHT RUDDER AND CUT POWER TO IDLE. FULL RIGHT RUDDER AUTHORITY WAS QUICKLY EXHAUSTED, AND, DESPITE FULL RIGHT RUDDER USE AND POWER ADJUSTMENT, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ON ITS LEFTWARD PATH. IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD SOON EXIT THE RUNWAY, WHEREUPON BRAKES WERE APPLIED IN ADDITION TO THE CONTINUED USE OF FULL RIGHT RUDDER/STEER. THE BRAKE SETUP IS BILATERAL AND SYNCHRONIZED; DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING FOR THE PURPOSES OF STEERING IS THUS NOT POSSIBLE. WHILE CONTINUING ITS TRAJECTORY, AND FAILING TO YIELD TO THE CORRECTIVE INPUT, THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK AN AIRPORT SIGN. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND AILERON. THE SIGN WAS NOT FUNCTIONALLY DAMAGED. PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, PILOT NOTED A MILD CROSSWIND FROM THE RIGHT (~260 AT ~6 ON RWY 190). THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIED OUT OF THE OCCURRENCE AREA AND TIED DOWN ON THE RAMP. PILOT CONTACTED THE NTSB IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER. PREFLIGHT INSPECTION HAD NOT REVEALED ABNORMALITIES