What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On takeoff climbed to 4000FT. Notified control eninge failure, vectored back. Unable, emergency landing in field. (.4)on the first flight after maintenance, the pilot reported that on the initial climb, 'the engine stopped producing power and began behaving erratically.' The pilot declared an emergency to the controlling ATC personnel, and turned back to palwaukee municipal airport. The pilot reported that the engine, 'was backfiring and sounded like only one cylinder was hitting.' The pilot selected a field to execute a forced landing, circled it twice, and landed on an easterly heading. The pilot reported that the plane, after touch down, 'skidded and rolled for about 250 yards before coming to rest on the bank of a small creek.' The pilot evacuated the airplane and waited for assistance. Examination of the number four cylinder revealed excessive black carbon build-up on the cylinder head and exhaust valve seat. (-23)engine started losing power shortly after takeoff. Unable to maintain altitude, PIC executed an off-airport landing. He overshot his intended touchdown spot to avoid people.
As the FAA filed it
ON TAKEOFF CLIMBED TO 4000FT. NOTIFIED CONTROL ENINGE FAILURE, VECTORED BACK. UNABLE, EMERGENCY LANDING IN FIELD. (.4)ON THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER MAINTENANCE, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ON THE INITIAL CLIMB, 'THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER AND BEGAN BEHAVING ERRATICALLY.' THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY TO THE CONTROLLING ATC PERSONNEL, AND TURNED BACK TO PALWAUKEE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE, 'WAS BACKFIRING AND SOUNDED LIKE ONLY ONE CYLINDER WAS HITTING.' THE PILOT SELECTED A FIELD TO EXECUTE A FORCED LANDING, CIRCLED IT TWICE, AND LANDED ON AN EASTERLY HEADING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PLANE, AFTER TOUCH DOWN, 'SKIDDED AND ROLLED FOR ABOUT 250 YARDS BEFORE COMING TO REST ON THE BANK OF A SMALL CREEK.' THE PILOT EVACUATED THE AIRPLANE AND WAITED FOR ASSISTANCE. EXAMINATION OF THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER REVEALED EXCESSIVE BLACK CARBON BUILD-UP ON THE CYLINDER HEAD AND EXHAUST VALVE SEAT. (-23)ENGINE STARTED LOSING POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, PIC EXECUTED AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. HE OVERSHOT HIS INTENDED TOUCHDOWN SPOT TO AVOID PEOPLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.