What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft took off and climbed to approx 150 feet AGL at which point began to lose power, acft to land in a grassy area. (-23) on June 7, 1998, at 1117 hours PDT, a Piper PA-28-181, N84451, was substantially damaged during a forced landing at Gillespie field, El Cajon, cal. Neither the instructor pilot or the duel student pilots were injured. The instructor pilot stated that during a departure climbout from runway 27L about 100 feet AGL the engine lost power. Lowering the nose of the aircraft the engine regained power, however, once the nose was raised power failed. Investigation revealed the aircraft's main fuel strainer bowl quick drain may have been open, or partially open, resulting in a lean fuel mixture any time the nose of the aircraft was raised. The PIC has been counseled regarding preflight procedures. (.4) the instructor pilot was departing with two beginning student pilots for a local area flight. The instructor stated that during the initial climb, about 50 to 100 feet AGL, the engine quit and he force landed beyond the runway end. According to an FAA inspector on scene, during the preflight the fuel gascolator drain may have been left open during the preflight. The flight instructor was counseled by the FAA on preflight procedures.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT TOOK OFF AND CLIMBED TO APPROX 150 FEET AGL AT WHICH POINT BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, ACFT TO LAND IN A GRASSY AREA. (-23) ON JUNE 7, 1998, AT 1117 HOURS PDT, A PIPER PA-28-181, N84451, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING AT GILLESPIE FIELD, EL CAJON, CAL. NEITHER THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT OR THE DUEL STUDENT PILOTS WERE INJURED. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT STATED THAT DURING A DEPARTURE CLIMBOUT FROM RUNWAY 27L ABOUT 100 FEET AGL THE ENGINE LOST POWER. LOWERING THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT THE ENGINE REGAINED POWER, HOWEVER, ONCE THE NOSE WAS RAISED POWER FAILED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT'S MAIN FUEL STRAINER BOWL QUICK DRAIN MAY HAVE BEEN OPEN, OR PARTIALLY OPEN, RESULTING IN A LEAN FUEL MIXTURE ANY TIME THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS RAISED. THE PIC HAS BEEN COUNSELED REGARDING PREFLIGHT PROCEDURES. (.4) THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT WAS DEPARTING WITH TWO BEGINNING STUDENT PILOTS FOR A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, ABOUT 50 TO 100 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE FORCE LANDED BEYOND THE RUNWAY END. ACCORDING TO AN FAA INSPECTOR ON SCENE, DURING THE PREFLIGHT THE FUEL GASCOLATOR DRAIN MAY HAVE BEEN LEFT OPEN DURING THE PREFLIGHT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS COUNSELED BY THE FAA ON PREFLIGHT PROCEDURES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.