 Bill Honen and Greg Cone inspect the Model B before a taxi test |  The Model B after the accident |
The next series of tests of the Model B began with great promise and ended with a serious accident. In order to familiarize the pilots with the handling of the Model B, taxi tests were begun, running the machine under its own power up and down the flying field. As the tests progressed, the speed of the runs was slowly increased. On May 19, 2003, during a high-speed taxi test, the airplane unexpectedly left the ground with Ken Hyde at the controls. He struggled to keep the airplane lined up on the runway, and by the time he could put it back down, he was nearly at the end of the field, lined with trees. To avoid crashing, Hyde pulled back on the elevator stick, and the airplane flew over the trees. Once over the trees, he attempted to turn the airplane around to land on the field. His first two turns brought nearly brought the airplane around. As he began a third, the Model B went into an uncontrollable slip, and went into some trees near the field. Hyde was bruised and broke his arm in the crash, but was otherwise unhurt. The Model B was severely damaged. The airframe was broken in many places, and the fabric covering torn. Fortunately, the engine, Frank Coffyn's engine, was resting without a scratch. The airplane is now being rebuilt, and will be tested and flown again. | 
