Amateur-built VANS RV7A N742RJ accident near Sheridan, Wyoming

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff due to cockpit distractions.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that when the airplane lifted off he became distracted by his headset's noise canceling control and suddenly the nose wheel of the airplane hit the ground hard. The pilot immediately pulled back on the controls and initiated a climb to assess the damage. After 15 minutes of flight, the emergency crew on the ground assessed that the nose gear was bent and the pilot prepared for an emergency landing. The pilot opted to land on the grass and as he set the airplane down on the surface the front gear leg collapsed and the airplane tilted up on its propeller before falling back down onto its main gear and substantially damaging the rudder. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR11CA353 for the full record.