What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Power loss and possible stall on initial climb. (.4)the airplane was on the initial climb after a touch and go landing. The engine lost power followed by a departure from controlled flight and a collision with the terrain. Subsequent examination of the airplane revealed only unusable fuel remaining in both fuel tanks. The operator of the airplane indicated that at the time of departure the airplane contained a maximum of 20 gallons of aviation fuel. According to the hobbs meter the airplane was operated for 2.8 hours. The operator said that their experience with this airplane in all flight conditions fuel consumption averaged 6.5 gallons/hour. (-23) on may 17, 1997, the private pilot, while operating the airplane solo, was conducting touch and go takeoff and landings on runway 32L at willard airport, savoy, Illinois, (cmi). The airplane suffered a loss of power during the initial takeoff climb. The pilot sustained fatal injuries when the airplane crashed on the airport.
As the FAA filed it
POWER LOSS AND POSSIBLE STALL ON INITIAL CLIMB. (.4)THE AIRPLANE WAS ON THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER A TOUCH AND GO LANDING. THE ENGINE LOST POWER FOLLOWED BY A DEPARTURE FROM CONTROLLED FLIGHT AND A COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED ONLY UNUSABLE FUEL REMAINING IN BOTH FUEL TANKS. THE OPERATOR OF THE AIRPLANE INDICATED THAT AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE THE AIRPLANE CONTAINED A MAXIMUM OF 20 GALLONS OF AVIATION FUEL. ACCORDING TO THE HOBBS METER THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED FOR 2.8 HOURS. THE OPERATOR SAID THAT THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THIS AIRPLANE IN ALL FLIGHT CONDITIONS FUEL CONSUMPTION AVERAGED 6.5 GALLONS/HOUR. (-23) ON MAY 17, 1997, THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHILE OPERATING THE AIRPLANE SOLO, WAS CONDUCTING TOUCH AND GO TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 32L AT WILLARD AIRPORT, SAVOY, ILLINOIS, (CMI). THE AIRPLANE SUFFERED A LOSS OF POWER DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB. THE PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES WHEN THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ON THE AIRPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.