What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)During this personal flight of an experimental (amatuer built) aircraft, under VFR conditions the commerical pilot experienced engine failure after rotation. The flight ended in a cotton field outside of the airport perimeter with the gear up. The pilot who was the sole occupant suffered no injuries and the aircraft sustained only minor damage. Post incident inspection revealed that a clamp that holds the mixture cable had not been properly secured after having been removed during the recent condition inspection. This allowed the mixture cable to move into the path of the nose gear retraction mechanisim. When the nose gear was retracted on takeoff it made contact with the mixture cable and moved it to the idle cut off position which shut doen the engine. This investigation is closed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)DURING THIS PERSONAL FLIGHT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL (AMATUER BUILT) AIRCRAFT, UNDER VFR CONDITIONS THE COMMERICAL PILOT EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE AFTER ROTATION. THE FLIGHT ENDED IN A COTTON FIELD OUTSIDE OF THE AIRPORT PERIMETER WITH THE GEAR UP. THE PILOT WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT SUFFERED NO INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. POST INCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT A CLAMP THAT HOLDS THE MIXTURE CABLE HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY SECURED AFTER HAVING BEEN REMOVED DURING THE RECENT CONDITION INSPECTION. THIS ALLOWED THE MIXTURE CABLE TO MOVE INTO THE PATH OF THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTION MECHANISIM. WHEN THE NOSE GEAR WAS RETRACTED ON TAKEOFF IT MADE CONTACT WITH THE MIXTURE CABLE AND MOVED IT TO THE IDLE CUT OFF POSITION WHICH SHUT DOEN THE ENGINE. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.