What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On June 23, 2001, at 1803 eastern daylight time, a kaines Kitfox 2, N789MK, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it struck a tree and terrain after taking off from a privately-owned airstrip. During the takeoff and initial climb, the pilot reported a partial loss of engine power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot said that during the takeoff roll, everything seemed to be all right. He said he began to notice that the power was diminishing as he got further down the runway. He said that he was beyond the point where he could safely abort. He got about 30 feet into the air and realized the airplane was not going to sustain flight. The pilot said he decided to put the airplane down in a nearby pasture. During the landing attempt, the airplane's wing struck a tree and then the ground. The pilot said that both of the airplane's wings were bent aft, the main landing gear were broken aft, and one propeller blade was broken off. Flight control continuity was confirmed. The airplane's engine was retained for further examination. (-23) on take-off from a grass strip at 5450 kelly road (Mt. Morris twp.), Flint, MI 48504, the aircraft lost power 30 ft. off of the ground. The engine continued to run without developing power. Mr. Clark landed the aircraft straight ahead in a pasture (that bordered his property) at privacy data omitted the left wing struck a tree and spun the aircraft, collapsing the gear and damaging the right wing. The wing spars were broken. Mr. Clark emerged from the aircraft without injury. He plans to rebuild the aircraft withing the next 2 years, and the engine rebuild will be the last thing accomplished.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JUNE 23, 2001, AT 1803 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A KAINES KITFOX 2, N789MK, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT STRUCK A TREE AND TERRAIN AFTER TAKING OFF FROM A PRIVATELY-OWNED AIRSTRIP. DURING THE TAKEOFF AND INITIAL CLIMB, THE PILOT REPORTED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE ALL RIGHT. HE SAID HE BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT THE POWER WAS DIMINISHING AS HE GOT FURTHER DOWN THE RUNWAY. HE SAID THAT HE WAS BEYOND THE POINT WHERE HE COULD SAFELY ABORT. HE GOT ABOUT 30 FEET INTO THE AIR AND REALIZED THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT GOING TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT. THE PILOT SAID HE DECIDED TO PUT THE AIRPLANE DOWN IN A NEARBY PASTURE. DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRPLANE'S WING STRUCK A TREE AND THEN THE GROUND. THE PILOT SAID THAT BOTH OF THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS WERE BENT AFT, THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WERE BROKEN AFT, AND ONE PROPELLER BLADE WAS BROKEN OFF. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE WAS RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. (-23) ON TAKE-OFF FROM A GRASS STRIP AT 5450 KELLY ROAD (MT. MORRIS TWP.), FLINT, MI 48504, THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER 30 FT. OFF OF THE GROUND. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN WITHOUT DEVELOPING POWER. MR. CLARK LANDED THE AIRCRAFT STRAIGHT AHEAD IN A PASTURE (THAT BORDERED HIS PROPERTY) AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE AND SPUN THE AIRCRAFT, COLLAPSING THE GEAR AND DAMAGING THE RIGHT WING. THE WING SPARS WERE BROKEN. MR. CLARK EMERGED FROM THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. HE PLANS TO REBUILD THE AIRCRAFT WITHING THE NEXT 2 YEARS, AND THE ENGINE REBUILD WILL BE THE LAST THING ACCOMPLISHED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.