What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)A/c tried to return to the airport after takeoff due to oil on the windshields. Installation of the aircraft showed the right wing had broken both spars, the empennage was twisted approx. 20-30 degrees and the right main gear had the jury brace torn off. Check of the aircraft showed flight control contingently to be good, engine controls were proper and the fuel indicated to be appros. 1/2 tank. No water was found in the tank. The carburator bowl was clear and no obstructions were found in the intake. The spark plugs were clean and all produced a spark. Engine compression was present in all cylinders (using thumb). Oil dip stick showed 4 1/2 quarts of oil. Oil was on the outside of the cowl and on the windshield after the accident. (.4) the pilot added engine oil before the flight. After takeoff, he noticed oil on the airplane's windshield. He returned to the airport, but reduced power early, landed about 500 feet short of the runway, and struck a fence post. The oil filler cap was found between two cylinders, 4 1/2 quarts of oil were found in the engine, and there was no evidence of any mechanical malfunction. Despite numerous requests, including a subpoena, the pilot did not provide a completed pilot/operator report. The pilot did not have a current medical certificate, nor a current biennial flight review. On his last medical certificate application, in 1993, the pilot reported a total flight time of 920 hours. However, there was no evidence of any flight time since then. There was also no evidence of pilot competency in either normal or emergency procedures, in any aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)A/C TRIED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AFTER TAKEOFF DUE TO OIL ON THE WINDSHIELDS. INSTALLATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED THE RIGHT WING HAD BROKEN BOTH SPARS, THE EMPENNAGE WAS TWISTED APPROX. 20-30 DEGREES AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR HAD THE JURY BRACE TORN OFF. CHECK OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINGENTLY TO BE GOOD, ENGINE CONTROLS WERE PROPER AND THE FUEL INDICATED TO BE APPROS. 1/2 TANK. NO WATER WAS FOUND IN THE TANK. THE CARBURATOR BOWL WAS CLEAR AND NO OBSTRUCTIONS WERE FOUND IN THE INTAKE. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE CLEAN AND ALL PRODUCED A SPARK. ENGINE COMPRESSION WAS PRESENT IN ALL CYLINDERS (USING THUMB). OIL DIP STICK SHOWED 4 1/2 QUARTS OF OIL. OIL WAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE COWL AND ON THE WINDSHIELD AFTER THE ACCIDENT. (.4) THE PILOT ADDED ENGINE OIL BEFORE THE FLIGHT. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE NOTICED OIL ON THE AIRPLANE'S WINDSHIELD. HE RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT, BUT REDUCED POWER EARLY, LANDED ABOUT 500 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, AND STRUCK A FENCE POST. THE OIL FILLER CAP WAS FOUND BETWEEN TWO CYLINDERS, 4 1/2 QUARTS OF OIL WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE, AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. DESPITE NUMEROUS REQUESTS, INCLUDING A SUBPOENA, THE PILOT DID NOT PROVIDE A COMPLETED PILOT/OPERATOR REPORT. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE, NOR A CURRENT BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. ON HIS LAST MEDICAL CERTIFICATE APPLICATION, IN 1993, THE PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 920 HOURS. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY FLIGHT TIME SINCE THEN. THERE WAS ALSO NO EVIDENCE OF PILOT COMPETENCY IN EITHER NORMAL OR EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, IN ANY AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.