What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost power on climbout. Hit sign landing on road. Tore off wing. Spark plugs finger tight or missing. Not tightened (-23) on December 28, 1996, at 1600 CST, a republic seabee RC-3, N6127K, was substantially damaged while performing a forced landing near whitewright, Texas. The flight originated from tri-county airport located near whitewright, Texas, at approximately 1550. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the ferry flight and no flight plan was filed. The pilot had purchased the airplane near atlanta, Georgia, and was ferrying it to chandler, AZ. The pilot reported he had had a mechanic perform a pre-buy inspection before purchasing the airplane which included removal and inspection of the spark plugs. He stopped at tri-county airport for fuel and oil. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane's engine "stopped and then started up again." Soon after, the engine started to lose power again. During the ensuing forced landing on a road, the airplane hit road signs and one wing separated from the fuselage. Inspection of the airplane revealed that one spark plug on each of number 1, 4, 5, and 6 cylinders was "finger" tight. The second spark plug on the number 6 cylinder had completely separated from the cylinder. The inspection also revealed the engine was covered in oil.
As the FAA filed it
LOST POWER ON CLIMBOUT. HIT SIGN LANDING ON ROAD. TORE OFF WING. SPARK PLUGS FINGER TIGHT OR MISSING. NOT TIGHTENED (-23) ON DECEMBER 28, 1996, AT 1600 CST, A REPUBLIC SEABEE RC-3, N6127K, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE PERFORMING A FORCED LANDING NEAR WHITEWRIGHT, TEXAS. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM TRI-COUNTY AIRPORT LOCATED NEAR WHITEWRIGHT, TEXAS, AT APPROXIMATELY 1550. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FERRY FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT HAD PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE NEAR ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AND WAS FERRYING IT TO CHANDLER, AZ. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD HAD A MECHANIC PERFORM A PRE-BUY INSPECTION BEFORE PURCHASING THE AIRPLANE WHICH INCLUDED REMOVAL AND INSPECTION OF THE SPARK PLUGS. HE STOPPED AT TRI-COUNTY AIRPORT FOR FUEL AND OIL. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE "STOPPED AND THEN STARTED UP AGAIN." SOON AFTER, THE ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AGAIN. DURING THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD, THE AIRPLANE HIT ROAD SIGNS AND ONE WING SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT ONE SPARK PLUG ON EACH OF NUMBER 1, 4, 5, AND 6 CYLINDERS WAS "FINGER" TIGHT. THE SECOND SPARK PLUG ON THE NUMBER 6 CYLINDER HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE CYLINDER. THE INSPECTION ALSO REVEALED THE ENGINE WAS COVERED IN OIL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.