What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed shortly after takeoff 1000 feet south east of the departure end of the runway. (.23) during investigation, evidence of oil was found on the left top surface of the engine, the uderside of the top cowl, and top surface of cowl, emitting from area of oil filler access door. The ingine oil filler cap was not on the oil filler tube. The cap was found on the engine compartment. The cap did not have the gasket installed. The cap would not lock into position onto the tube, nor fit tightly to the tube. (.4)according to a witness, the pilot departed runway 12. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot made a right turn, followed by a left turn. The airplane impacted the ground in a vertical descent 900 feet southeast of the airport. A second witness at the airport reported that the pilot refueled, started the airplane and departed with a tailwind without completing a preflight inspection or run-up. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the engine oil filler door was bent with the secure latch found pushed in. Upon removal of the engine cowling, there was evidence of oil on the inside. The oil filler cap had separated from the oil filler neck and it was found at the base of the engine. Examination of the oil filler cap revealed that the gasket was missing. When the oil filler cap was fitted to the filler neck, it rotated 360 degrees and would not fit securely. Search efforts did not locate the gasket in the wreckage or surrounding area. Some sections of separated windshield glass also showed evidence of oil deposits. Inside the airplane were five one-quart bottles of aeroshell 10W50. All except one bottle had burst open. The opened one was empty and the cap was intact with a broken seal. The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 330 degress at 7 knots. Examination of airplane and engine did not disclose any evidence of mechanical malfunction.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF 1000 FEET SOUTH EAST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. (.23) DURING INVESTIGATION, EVIDENCE OF OIL WAS FOUND ON THE LEFT TOP SURFACE OF THE ENGINE, THE UDERSIDE OF THE TOP COWL, AND TOP SURFACE OF COWL, EMITTING FROM AREA OF OIL FILLER ACCESS DOOR. THE INGINE OIL FILLER CAP WAS NOT ON THE OIL FILLER TUBE. THE CAP WAS FOUND ON THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAP DID NOT HAVE THE GASKET INSTALLED. THE CAP WOULD NOT LOCK INTO POSITION ONTO THE TUBE, NOR FIT TIGHTLY TO THE TUBE. (.4)ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE PILOT DEPARTED RUNWAY 12. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT MADE A RIGHT TURN, FOLLOWED BY A LEFT TURN. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A VERTICAL DESCENT 900 FEET SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. A SECOND WITNESS AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED THAT THE PILOT REFUELED, STARTED THE AIRPLANE AND DEPARTED WITH A TAILWIND WITHOUT COMPLETING A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OR RUN-UP. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE OIL FILLER DOOR WAS BENT WITH THE SECURE LATCH FOUND PUSHED IN. UPON REMOVAL OF THE ENGINE COWLING, THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF OIL ON THE INSIDE. THE OIL FILLER CAP HAD SEPARATED FROM THE OIL FILLER NECK AND IT WAS FOUND AT THE BASE OF THE ENGINE. EXAMINATION OF THE OIL FILLER CAP REVEALED THAT THE GASKET WAS MISSING. WHEN THE OIL FILLER CAP WAS FITTED TO THE FILLER NECK, IT ROTATED 360 DEGREES AND WOULD NOT FIT SECURELY. SEARCH EFFORTS DID NOT LOCATE THE GASKET IN THE WRECKAGE OR SURROUNDING AREA. SOME SECTIONS OF SEPARATED WINDSHIELD GLASS ALSO SHOWED EVIDENCE OF OIL DEPOSITS. INSIDE THE AIRPLANE WERE FIVE ONE-QUART BOTTLES OF AEROSHELL 10W50. ALL EXCEPT ONE BOTTLE HAD BURST OPEN. THE OPENED ONE WAS EMPTY AND THE CAP WAS INTACT WITH A BROKEN SEAL. THE REPORTED WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE FROM 330 DEGRESS AT 7 KNOTS. EXAMINATION OF AIRPLANE AND ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.