What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft lost power after take-off and made emergency landing. (.19) on November 30, 1998, approximately 0805 mountain standard time, a ryan, navion-a, N2PE, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain after an emergency descent near Carrizozo, new Mexico. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight being conducted under title 14 CFR part 91. No flight plan had been filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. Preliminary reports indicate the pilot lost engine power shortly after take-off. (.4) the pilot said that the engine was 'strong' during the takeoff roll. He said that shortly after liftoff the engine sputtered once, and then quit. He performed a forced landing, and the right main landing gear impacted plant roots during the landing roll. A member of the national navion association said that if a pilot attempts a takeoff with the fuel selector on one of the tip tanks, the engine will quit soon after takeoff. The POH directs the pilot to takeoff with the fuel selector on a main fuel tank. The pilot said that he was adjusting the mixture during the takeof f roll. No abnormalities were identified with the engine which would have prevented normal operation. (-23) on November 30, 1998, approximately 0805 mountain standard time, a ryan, navion-a, N2PE, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain after an emergency descent near Carrizozo, new Mexico. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight being conducted under title 14 CFR part 91. No flight plan had been filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. Preliminary reports indicate the pilot lost engine power shortly after take-off.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT LOST POWER AFTER TAKE-OFF AND MADE EMERGENCY LANDING. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 30, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 0805 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A RYAN, NAVION-A, N2PE, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AFTER AN EMERGENCY DESCENT NEAR CARRIZOZO, NEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. PRELIMINARY REPORTS INDICATE THE PILOT LOST ENGINE POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF. (.4) THE PILOT SAID THAT THE ENGINE WAS 'STRONG' DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. HE SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF THE ENGINE SPUTTERED ONCE, AND THEN QUIT. HE PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING, AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR IMPACTED PLANT ROOTS DURING THE LANDING ROLL. A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL NAVION ASSOCIATION SAID THAT IF A PILOT ATTEMPTS A TAKEOFF WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR ON ONE OF THE TIP TANKS, THE ENGINE WILL QUIT SOON AFTER TAKEOFF. THE POH DIRECTS THE PILOT TO TAKEOFF WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR ON A MAIN FUEL TANK. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS ADJUSTING THE MIXTURE DURING THE TAKEOF F ROLL. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE IDENTIFIED WITH THE ENGINE WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION. (-23) ON NOVEMBER 30, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 0805 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A RYAN, NAVION-A, N2PE, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AFTER AN EMERGENCY DESCENT NEAR CARRIZOZO, NEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. PRELIMINARY REPORTS INDICATE THE PILOT LOST ENGINE POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.