What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 27, 1998, at 0925 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T-50, N6HS, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, experienced a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing shortly after takeoff from the Missoula International Airport, Missoula, Montana. During the landing roll in a field, the airplane collided with a fence. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured. Witnesses reported that fuel was observed flowing from the right engine lower nacelle as the pilot was starting the engines in preparation for taxi and departure. One witness approached the aircraft and told the pilot of this situation. The pilot disregarded this information and proceeded to start the right engine and taxi to the runway. Shortly after the airplane lifted off, the right engine lost power and the pilot initiated a forced landing to an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a fence. After the accident, fire department personnel observed fuel flowing from the right engine. One fireman reported thathe opened the access panel and found that the gascolator quick drain was locked in the open position. The fireman tured the mechanism 90 degrees and the drain sprang shut. The fuel flow then stopped. (-23)aircraft sustained substantial damage during off-airport landing. Pilot reported unable to maintain altitude after takeoff after right engine failure.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 27, 1998, AT 0925 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA T-50, N6HS, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE MISSOULA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MISSOULA, MONTANA. DURING THE LANDING ROLL IN A FIELD, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT FUEL WAS OBSERVED FLOWING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE LOWER NACELLE AS THE PILOT WAS STARTING THE ENGINES IN PREPARATION FOR TAXI AND DEPARTURE. ONE WITNESS APPROACHED THE AIRCRAFT AND TOLD THE PILOT OF THIS SITUATION. THE PILOT DISREGARDED THIS INFORMATION AND PROCEEDED TO START THE RIGHT ENGINE AND TAXI TO THE RUNWAY. SHORTLY AFTER THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF, THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A FENCE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL OBSERVED FUEL FLOWING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE. ONE FIREMAN REPORTED THATHE OPENED THE ACCESS PANEL AND FOUND THAT THE GASCOLATOR QUICK DRAIN WAS LOCKED IN THE OPEN POSITION. THE FIREMAN TURED THE MECHANISM 90 DEGREES AND THE DRAIN SPRANG SHUT. THE FUEL FLOW THEN STOPPED. (-23)AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. PILOT REPORTED UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AFTER TAKEOFF AFTER RIGHT ENGINE FAILURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.