What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Crashed enroute. Details unknown. Clogged fuel nozzles and low cyl compression factors. High impact indicates. Stal (.4) the pilot took off in the vicinity of the airplane's maximum gross weight and cleared 50 foot high trees 75 feet beyond the end of the runway. The airplane completed a right 180 degree turn, descended, and collided with trees with the retractable landing gear still extended. Maintenance records revealed that the number 4 cylinder had been removed due to low compression 295 hours before the accident to replace an exhaust valve, and again 76 hours before the accident due to low compression to reface the valves. Examination of the engine revealed the number 4 cylinder fuel injector nozzle was partially obstructed. An annual inspection was performed on the airplane between the two removals of the number 4 cylinder, by the maintenance facility performing the engine maintenance. The landing gear had been written up by the pilots on five occasions in the 3 months prior to the accident, for not retracting after takeoff, and the airplane continued to be flown with the write-ups. The last write up occurred 7 days prior to the accident and remained open. Maintenance was performed on the landing gear system after the last write-up and not documented in the airplane's logbooks. (-23) analysis of the propeller, governor, and fuel selector disclosed no abnormal findings with the exception of damages sustained from impact and post crash fire. The engine was in operable condition and produced power, though the number four cylinder fuel nozzle exhibited restricted flow. The engine maintenance record disclosed work performed confined to the number four cylindr assembly for low compression. Nevertheless, the diminished engine performance that may have been caused by the low compression may have contributed to the accident but it was not sufficient in causing the aircraft to crash. No further action is intended by this office and this investigation is considered closed. NTSB factual data to be distributed in accordance with order 8020.11A, when received.
As the FAA filed it
CRASHED ENROUTE. DETAILS UNKNOWN. CLOGGED FUEL NOZZLES AND LOW CYL COMPRESSION FACTORS. HIGH IMPACT INDICATES. STAL (.4) THE PILOT TOOK OFF IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPLANE'S MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AND CLEARED 50 FOOT HIGH TREES 75 FEET BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE COMPLETED A RIGHT 180 DEGREE TURN, DESCENDED, AND COLLIDED WITH TREES WITH THE RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR STILL EXTENDED. MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER HAD BEEN REMOVED DUE TO LOW COMPRESSION 295 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT TO REPLACE AN EXHAUST VALVE, AND AGAIN 76 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT DUE TO LOW COMPRESSION TO REFACE THE VALVES. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLE WAS PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTED. AN ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ON THE AIRPLANE BETWEEN THE TWO REMOVALS OF THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER, BY THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY PERFORMING THE ENGINE MAINTENANCE. THE LANDING GEAR HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP BY THE PILOTS ON FIVE OCCASIONS IN THE 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, FOR NOT RETRACTING AFTER TAKEOFF, AND THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO BE FLOWN WITH THE WRITE-UPS. THE LAST WRITE UP OCCURRED 7 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND REMAINED OPEN. MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM AFTER THE LAST WRITE-UP AND NOT DOCUMENTED IN THE AIRPLANE'S LOGBOOKS. (-23) ANALYSIS OF THE PROPELLER, GOVERNOR, AND FUEL SELECTOR DISCLOSED NO ABNORMAL FINDINGS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DAMAGES SUSTAINED FROM IMPACT AND POST CRASH FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS IN OPERABLE CONDITION AND PRODUCED POWER, THOUGH THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER FUEL NOZZLE EXHIBITED RESTRICTED FLOW. THE ENGINE MAINTENANCE RECORD DISCLOSED WORK PERFORMED CONFINED TO THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDR ASSEMBLY FOR LOW COMPRESSION. NEVERTHELESS, THE DIMINISHED ENGINE PERFORMANCE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE LOW COMPRESSION MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT BUT IT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT IN CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO CRASH. NO FURTHER ACTION IS INTENDED BY THIS OFFICE AND THIS INVESTIGATION IS CONSIDERED CLOSED. NTSB FACTUAL DATA TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDER 8020.11A, WHEN RECEIVED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.