What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After departure, at 300-400 ft AGL, the pilot reported a loss of power. Witnesses reported a normal t-o roll followed by a steep climb angle on departure. Soon after departure, witnesses heard the engine noise change from normal to quiet and a series of popping noises like a "backfire". The pilot attempted to return to the runway and collided with terrain near the airport. Aircraft hit hard nose first and overturned. There was a post impact fire. Inspection of the powerplant and systems did not reveal any indications to support the loss of power. The acft was fueled to capacity on 07/02/01. Fuel availiable and onboard the aircraft at the time of the accident can not be verified. A lake expert stated that low fuel status in the center tank with steep climb out angles can "unport" the fuel flow to the engine.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER DEPARTURE, AT 300-400 FT AGL, THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF POWER. WITNESSES REPORTED A NORMAL T-O ROLL FOLLOWED BY A STEEP CLIMB ANGLE ON DEPARTURE. SOON AFTER DEPARTURE, WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE NOISE CHANGE FROM NORMAL TO QUIET AND A SERIES OF POPPING NOISES LIKE A "BACKFIRE". THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN NEAR THE AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT HIT HARD NOSE FIRST AND OVERTURNED. THERE WAS A POST IMPACT FIRE. INSPECTION OF THE POWERPLANT AND SYSTEMS DID NOT REVEAL ANY INDICATIONS TO SUPPORT THE LOSS OF POWER. THE ACFT WAS FUELED TO CAPACITY ON 07/02/01. FUEL AVAILIABLE AND ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT CAN NOT BE VERIFIED. A LAKE EXPERT STATED THAT LOW FUEL STATUS IN THE CENTER TANK WITH STEEP CLIMB OUT ANGLES CAN "UNPORT" THE FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.