What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft made emergency landing in a field after reporting oil problem. Failed attempte for takeoff, crashed. (.4)on August 19, 1997, at 1940 hours, a Piper archer, PA-28-181, N826K, crashed while attempting a takeoff from a field near Brickerville, Pennsylvania. N826K was registered to air photos, inc., and piloted by ronald charles gilmer. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage, and the certificated private pilot was not injured. The flight originated at lancaster, Pennsylvania a few minutes earlier and was for the purpose of a maintenance test flight to test the reliability of avionics work performed. Pilot gilmer reported high oil temperature shortly after takeoff from lancaster, and requested a straight in landing to RUNWAY8. On initial contact with the tower, pilot gilmer was 2 miles west of the airport. Pilot gilmer's next contact with the tower was successful landing, pilot gilmer shutdown the engine and visually inspected the aircraft exterior. Pilot gilmer then attempted a takeoff from the field. At this time, the engine failed and the aircraft crashed into a cornfield. Further investigation revealed no engine malfunction of fuel contamination.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT MADE EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD AFTER REPORTING OIL PROBLEM. FAILED ATTEMPTE FOR TAKEOFF, CRASHED. (.4)ON AUGUST 19, 1997, AT 1940 HOURS, A PIPER ARCHER, PA-28-181, N826K, CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF FROM A FIELD NEAR BRICKERVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA. N826K WAS REGISTERED TO AIR PHOTOS, INC., AND PILOTED BY RONALD CHARLES GILMER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA A FEW MINUTES EARLIER AND WAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT TO TEST THE RELIABILITY OF AVIONICS WORK PERFORMED. PILOT GILMER REPORTED HIGH OIL TEMPERATURE SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM LANCASTER, AND REQUESTED A STRAIGHT IN LANDING TO RUNWAY8. ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE TOWER, PILOT GILMER WAS 2 MILES WEST OF THE AIRPORT. PILOT GILMER'S NEXT CONTACT WITH THE TOWER WAS SUCCESSFUL LANDING, PILOT GILMER SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE AND VISUALLY INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT EXTERIOR. PILOT GILMER THEN ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF FROM THE FIELD. AT THIS TIME, THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A CORNFIELD. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO ENGINE MALFUNCTION OF FUEL CONTAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.