Narrative:

I was departing runway 26 at ZZZ airport in a zlin savage light sport conventional gear airplane. AWOS reported winds 240 degrees at 12 KTS gusting 18 KTS; temperature 41 degrees C favoring runway 26. After an uneventful takeoff roll; I climbed to approximately 400 ft AGL and initiated a left crosswind turn for a left downwind departure to the east. I had not retracted the first flap setting; and at about 100 degree from the runway heading encountered a severe downdraft. I added full power and leveled the wings. I realized that my heading would put me in unfavorable terrain; and initiated a gentle bank back toward the downwind. The aircraft simply would not outperform the sinking air and I leveled the wings and maintained 45 mph IAS (approximately 1.0 vso) and full power to avoid a perimeter fence until just prior to impact with level dirt adjacent to the runway. The left main gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest within 150 ft of initial impact. I am unable to recollect or estimate my descent rate at the time of collision with the ground. I secured the aircraft; evacuate/evacuationed; and summoned help at the FBO and fire station. I was the sole occupant of the aircraft and was uninjured in the event. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this aircraft is in the 'experimental light sport' category and this category does not require published aircraft performance data. Pilot does also state that the aircraft was climbing normally until the downdraft encounter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZLIN PLT ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFT ON DEP THAT EXCEEDED THE PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY OF THE ACFT. PLT LANDED ADJACENT TO ARPT; COLLAPSING LNDG GEAR.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING RWY 26 AT ZZZ ARPT IN A ZLIN SAVAGE LIGHT SPORT CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRPLANE. AWOS RPTED WINDS 240 DEGS AT 12 KTS GUSTING 18 KTS; TEMP 41 DEGS C FAVORING RWY 26. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL TKOF ROLL; I CLBED TO APPROX 400 FT AGL AND INITIATED A L XWIND TURN FOR A L DOWNWIND DEP TO THE E. I HAD NOT RETRACTED THE FIRST FLAP SETTING; AND AT ABOUT 100 DEG FROM THE RWY HDG ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT. I ADDED FULL PWR AND LEVELED THE WINGS. I REALIZED THAT MY HDG WOULD PUT ME IN UNFAVORABLE TERRAIN; AND INITIATED A GENTLE BANK BACK TOWARD THE DOWNWIND. THE ACFT SIMPLY WOULD NOT OUTPERFORM THE SINKING AIR AND I LEVELED THE WINGS AND MAINTAINED 45 MPH IAS (APPROX 1.0 VSO) AND FULL PWR TO AVOID A PERIMETER FENCE UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH LEVEL DIRT ADJACENT TO THE RWY. THE L MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST WITHIN 150 FT OF INITIAL IMPACT. I AM UNABLE TO RECOLLECT OR ESTIMATE MY DSCNT RATE AT THE TIME OF COLLISION WITH THE GND. I SECURED THE ACFT; EVACED; AND SUMMONED HELP AT THE FBO AND FIRE STATION. I WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE ACFT AND WAS UNINJURED IN THE EVENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS ACFT IS IN THE 'EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT' CATEGORY AND THIS CATEGORY DOES NOT REQUIRE PUBLISHED ACFT PERFORMANCE DATA. PLT DOES ALSO STATE THAT THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING NORMALLY UNTIL THE DOWNDRAFT ENCOUNTER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.