What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Engine quit on climbout. Crash landed rough terrain. Fuel selector on right tank. POH states selector to left tank. (-23) on December 20, 1997, at about 1230 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-22-108 collided with terrain and struck stumps and felled logs shortly after departure a private, turf airfield located just northeast of jacksonville, NC located near route 17. Steven cecil powell was the owner, pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft being operated under part 91 of the federal aviation regulations. The purpose of the flight was personal. During an interview with investigators, the pilot reported that shortly after takeoff the engine lost power. This occurred at approximately 300 to 400 feet AGL. He further stipulated that concurrent with the engine power loss, shortly after take-off, he realized that the fuel tank selector might have been in the right tank position. He further claimed that he believed he then switched the fuel selector from the right tank to the left tank. However, he could not be certain of this. Mr. Powell then pitched the nose of the aircraft down in an effort to maintain airspeed. He believed the engine then quit and the aircraft descended quickly. The aircraft impacted terrain and came to rest in the upright position. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the pilot received minor injuries. The subsequent investigation and examination of the aircraft engine revealed no pre-impact abnormalities. No evidence of fuel was present in the right side fuel tank.
As the FAA filed it
ENGINE QUIT ON CLIMBOUT. CRASH LANDED ROUGH TERRAIN. FUEL SELECTOR ON RIGHT TANK. POH STATES SELECTOR TO LEFT TANK. (-23) ON DECEMBER 20, 1997, AT ABOUT 1230 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-22-108 COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AND STRUCK STUMPS AND FELLED LOGS SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE A PRIVATE, TURF AIRFIELD LOCATED JUST NORTHEAST OF JACKSONVILLE, NC LOCATED NEAR ROUTE 17. STEVEN CECIL POWELL WAS THE OWNER, PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT BEING OPERATED UNDER PART 91 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS PERSONAL. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH INVESTIGATORS, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THIS OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 300 TO 400 FEET AGL. HE FURTHER STIPULATED THAT CONCURRENT WITH THE ENGINE POWER LOSS, SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF, HE REALIZED THAT THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION. HE FURTHER CLAIMED THAT HE BELIEVED HE THEN SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE RIGHT TANK TO THE LEFT TANK. HOWEVER, HE COULD NOT BE CERTAIN OF THIS. MR. POWELL THEN PITCHED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT DOWN IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. HE BELIEVED THE ENGINE THEN QUIT AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED QUICKLY. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN AND CAME TO REST IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION AND EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE REVEALED NO PRE-IMPACT ABNORMALITIES. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE RIGHT SIDE FUEL TANK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.