Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during the takeoff.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
An airport surveillance video showed the airplane in a takeoff roll become airborne in a nose-high attitude, settle back down to the runway, and bounce hard on the main landing gear. The airplane went through this cycle twice and on the final bounce, the right wheel separated from the airplane and the left horizontal stabilizer struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage. Attempts were made to contact the pilot for a statement, and a National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report was mailed to the pilot’s address via certified mail. The pilot did not return phone calls, and the accident report form was returned as “undeliverable.” An examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.