What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The aircraft had a history of fuel caps leaking water into the fuel tanks, and repairs had been attempted. About 3 to 4 inches of rain had fallen since the aircraft was refueled about two days before the accident. Water was found in the fuel tanks during the preflight inspection. After takeoff the engine lost power, and the pilots decided to return to the airport. The second pilot stated the pilot-in-command was flying the aircraft, and after reversing course, the stall horn activated. Subsequently, the aircraft crashed on a road after clearing a building, a 25 foot sign, and a 25 foot palm tree. Postcrash examination showed the engine fuel system contained water contamination; there was no evidence of engine mechanical failure or malfunction. The left and right fuel tank caps were found to leak water into the tanks during postcrash tests. The pilot-in-command's logbook showed he last flew 11 months before the accident. (-23) single pilot aircraft operation under restricted category for the purpose of training flight on sky waiting. Other crew member (right seat) is a private pilot. PIC was louis leone, this was his first flight in this acft & with company operating aircraft. Loss of power - crashed after takeoff.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE AIRCRAFT HAD A HISTORY OF FUEL CAPS LEAKING WATER INTO THE FUEL TANKS, AND REPAIRS HAD BEEN ATTEMPTED. ABOUT 3 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN SINCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS REFUELED ABOUT TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE PILOTS DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE SECOND PILOT STATED THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT, AND AFTER REVERSING COURSE, THE STALL HORN ACTIVATED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON A ROAD AFTER CLEARING A BUILDING, A 25 FOOT SIGN, AND A 25 FOOT PALM TREE. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION SHOWED THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM CONTAINED WATER CONTAMINATION; THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ENGINE MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANK CAPS WERE FOUND TO LEAK WATER INTO THE TANKS DURING POSTCRASH TESTS. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S LOGBOOK SHOWED HE LAST FLEW 11 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. (-23) SINGLE PILOT AIRCRAFT OPERATION UNDER RESTRICTED CATEGORY FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRAINING FLIGHT ON SKY WAITING. OTHER CREW MEMBER (RIGHT SEAT) IS A PRIVATE PILOT. PIC WAS LOUIS LEONE, THIS WAS HIS FIRST FLIGHT IN THIS ACFT & WITH COMPANY OPERATING AIRCRAFT. LOSS OF POWER - CRASHED AFTER TAKEOFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.