What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)On July 16, 2000, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt surrel guppy, N4425W, was substantially damaged after it experienced a loss of engine power during the initial climb after takeoff from the Harford County Airport (OW3), Churchville, Maryland. The certificated private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. The airplane departed runway 01, a 1,600 foot-long, turf runway. The pilot stated that after a normal acceleration and lift off, he noticed the engine tachometer indicated 2,900 RPM, instead of the normal 3,450 RPM. Additionally, the corner of the airplane's canopy became dislodged. The pilot was unable to secure the canopy and felt he would have "no problem making a gentle left turn to land on a parallel runway;" however, during the turn, about 50 feet above the ground, he became "distracted and stalled" the airplane about 300 feet short of the runway. Examination of the airplane was conducted by a federal aviation administration inspector. The airplane was equipped with a 4-cycle kohler, model CH25S lawn mower engine. A hole was found in the right cylinder rocker box cover, and "some debris and filings" were observed on the right cylinder exhaust valve. (-23)pilot reported engine problems shortly after taking off from runway 01 at hartford county airport (0W3) and attempted to turn back. The aircraft hit left wings down, (bi-plane), the nose then impacted, breaking aircraft in 2 pieces. The pilot received compound fractures of 1 leg and 1 wrist. Debris pattern covered only about 30 feet total, indicating steep angle and low speed indicative of a stall. Operating limitations were being followed, aircraft was still in phase 1 test flight. It was impossible to confirm or deny engine failure, due to impact damage. Engine teardown not warranted- non-certificated lawn mower type engine. Prop damage indicated little or no rotation.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)ON JULY 16, 2000, ABOUT 1630 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A HOMEBUILT SURREL GUPPY, N4425W, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER IT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE HARFORD COUNTY AIRPORT (OW3), CHURCHVILLE, MARYLAND. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED RUNWAY 01, A 1,600 FOOT-LONG, TURF RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER A NORMAL ACCELERATION AND LIFT OFF, HE NOTICED THE ENGINE TACHOMETER INDICATED 2,900 RPM, INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL 3,450 RPM. ADDITIONALLY, THE CORNER OF THE AIRPLANE'S CANOPY BECAME DISLODGED. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO SECURE THE CANOPY AND FELT HE WOULD HAVE "NO PROBLEM MAKING A GENTLE LEFT TURN TO LAND ON A PARALLEL RUNWAY;" HOWEVER, DURING THE TURN, ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, HE BECAME "DISTRACTED AND STALLED" THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 300 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE WAS CONDUCTED BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A 4-CYCLE KOHLER, MODEL CH25S LAWN MOWER ENGINE. A HOLE WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT CYLINDER ROCKER BOX COVER, AND "SOME DEBRIS AND FILINGS" WERE OBSERVED ON THE RIGHT CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE. (-23)PILOT REPORTED ENGINE PROBLEMS SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFF FROM RUNWAY 01 AT HARTFORD COUNTY AIRPORT (0W3) AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN BACK. THE AIRCRAFT HIT LEFT WINGS DOWN, (BI-PLANE), THE NOSE THEN IMPACTED, BREAKING AIRCRAFT IN 2 PIECES. THE PILOT RECEIVED COMPOUND FRACTURES OF 1 LEG AND 1 WRIST. DEBRIS PATTERN COVERED ONLY ABOUT 30 FEET TOTAL, INDICATING STEEP ANGLE AND LOW SPEED INDICATIVE OF A STALL. OPERATING LIMITATIONS WERE BEING FOLLOWED, AIRCRAFT WAS STILL IN PHASE 1 TEST FLIGHT. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONFIRM OR DENY ENGINE FAILURE, DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE. ENGINE TEARDOWN NOT WARRANTED- NON-CERTIFICATED LAWN MOWER TYPE ENGINE. PROP DAMAGE INDICATED LITTLE OR NO ROTATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.