What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft landed in field and crashed nose first. (.19) on January 17, 1999, at 1245 hours pacific standard time, a Cessna 140, N89513, struck a power line during takeoff from a dirt field, near Burson, California. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The private pilot was not injured. The flight was operated under 14 CFR part 91. In an interview with a federal aviation administration inspector, the pilot reported that he had experienced an in-flight loss of engine power and he made a forced landing on the dirt field. Afterward he restarted the engine by switching the fuel selector tank position. He did an engine run-up, noted no abnormalities, and initiated the takeoff. (.4) the pilot stated that during cruise the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power and made a successful forced landing in a dirt field. After landing, he examined the aircraft, found no problems, restarted the engine and conducted a run-up without discrepancies. He took off and was approximately 50 feet AGL when he saw a power line directly ahead and made a steep left turn to avoid the wires. He said that the aircraft stalled during the turn and impacted the terrain. The aircraft and fuel were examined on scene with no discrepancies noted.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT LANDED IN FIELD AND CRASHED NOSE FIRST. (.19) ON JANUARY 17, 1999, AT 1245 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 140, N89513, STRUCK A POWER LINE DURING TAKEOFF FROM A DIRT FIELD, NEAR BURSON, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND HE MADE A FORCED LANDING ON THE DIRT FIELD. AFTERWARD HE RESTARTED THE ENGINE BY SWITCHING THE FUEL SELECTOR TANK POSITION. HE DID AN ENGINE RUN-UP, NOTED NO ABNORMALITIES, AND INITIATED THE TAKEOFF. (.4) THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING CRUISE THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING IN A DIRT FIELD. AFTER LANDING, HE EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT, FOUND NO PROBLEMS, RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND CONDUCTED A RUN-UP WITHOUT DISCREPANCIES. HE TOOK OFF AND WAS APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AGL WHEN HE SAW A POWER LINE DIRECTLY AHEAD AND MADE A STEEP LEFT TURN TO AVOID THE WIRES. HE SAID THAT THE AIRCRAFT STALLED DURING THE TURN AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT AND FUEL WERE EXAMINED ON SCENE WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.