What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) During the initial climb after takeoff, the airplane's engine sputtered, and then lost total power. The pilot initiated a right turn and performed a forced landing to a field. After the accident, 5 gallons of fuel was drained from the left fuel tank, and 7 gallons of fuel was drained from the right fuel tank. Examination of the airplane's fuel system revealed a total blockage in the left fuel tank's aft feed line in the vicinity a bend near the fuel tank connection. According to the FAA inspector's report, '...the bend in the line was clogged with what appeared to be hard packed sand....' There were no other pre-impact discrepancies noted. The pilot said he had selected the left fuel tank for the takeoff, as per the airplane's operating handbook. Additionally, the pilot stated that the airplane had been flown for about 15 to 20 hours since it's most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 2 months before the accident. For about 6 weeks prior to the annual inspection, the airplane was parked in a 't-hangar' with both wings removed. (-23) on 12-12-99, at approximately 1530 hrs. EST, a Piper PA22-108, N5279Z, piloted by privacy data omitted , with passenger, privacy data omitted departed Wales, ME (ME6) for turner, ME (3B5). After take off, at approximately 200 feet AGL and during a climbing right turn, the engine sputtered and quit. When wings were leveled, the engine started again but immediately quit. Pilot continued right turn back towards runway but had to land in a field. Aircraft contacted ground on a knoll causing nose gear to break off thus causing the aircraft to flip upside down. No injuries. Aircraft recieved substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE SPUTTERED, AND THEN LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED A RIGHT TURN AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, 5 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK, AND 7 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED A TOTAL BLOCKAGE IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK'S AFT FEED LINE IN THE VICINITY A BEND NEAR THE FUEL TANK CONNECTION. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR'S REPORT, '...THE BEND IN THE LINE WAS CLOGGED WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE HARD PACKED SAND....' THERE WERE NO OTHER PRE-IMPACT DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD SELECTED THE LEFT FUEL TANK FOR THE TAKEOFF, AS PER THE AIRPLANE'S OPERATING HANDBOOK. ADDITIONALLY, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN FLOWN FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 HOURS SINCE IT'S MOST RECENT ANNUAL INSPECTION, WHICH WAS PERFORMED ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. FOR ABOUT 6 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ANNUAL INSPECTION, THE AIRPLANE WAS PARKED IN A 'T-HANGAR' WITH BOTH WINGS REMOVED. (-23) ON 12-12-99, AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 HRS. EST, A PIPER PA22-108, N5279Z, PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ , WITH PASSENGER, ^PRIVACY DATA ^ DEPARTED WALES, ME (ME6) FOR TURNER, ME (3B5). AFTER TAKE OFF, AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL AND DURING A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT. WHEN WINGS WERE LEVELED, THE ENGINE STARTED AGAIN BUT IMMEDIATELY QUIT. PILOT CONTINUED RIGHT TURN BACK TOWARDS RUNWAY BUT HAD TO LAND IN A FIELD. AIRCRAFT CONTACTED GROUND ON A KNOLL CAUSING NOSE GEAR TO BREAK OFF THUS CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP UPSIDE DOWN. NO INJURIES. AIRCRAFT RECIEVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.