What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot ground-looped the aircraft on his first takeoff attempt on rwy 090. Witnesses saw him push the aircraft back onto the runway and back taxi to the original starting point to attempt another takeoff. The second takeoff attempt was successful; however, the aircraft never reached more than tree top level, about 50 feet. The pilot made what appeared to be two landing attempts, using a left-hand pattern, but he still never reached more than approximately 50 feet of altitude. On his third downwind leg, at a point about even with the runway mid point, and about 1/4 mile away, he struck a large tree, about 40 feet above ground level. He crashed 200 feet away, in a large grassy meadow, on the edge of the forest. The pilot stated the engine overheated and he lost power just prior to impact. The post-crash investigation shows that at the time of impact, the propeller was not rotating. The engine turned freely by hand, and both cylinders developed good compression. Plenty of engine coolant was on the ground, and more than 10 gal of fuel was on board. The throttle was found pulled all the way back in the idle position. Three witnesses stated the engine sounded fine until the aircraft struck the tree and crashed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT GROUND-LOOPED THE AIRCRAFT ON HIS FIRST TAKEOFF ATTEMPT ON RWY 090. WITNESSES SAW HIM PUSH THE AIRCRAFT BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY AND BACK TAXI TO THE ORIGINAL STARTING POINT TO ATTEMPT ANOTHER TAKEOFF. THE SECOND TAKEOFF ATTEMPT WAS SUCCESSFUL; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT NEVER REACHED MORE THAN TREE TOP LEVEL, ABOUT 50 FEET. THE PILOT MADE WHAT APPEARED TO BE TWO LANDING ATTEMPTS, USING A LEFT-HAND PATTERN, BUT HE STILL NEVER REACHED MORE THAN APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET OF ALTITUDE. ON HIS THIRD DOWNWIND LEG, AT A POINT ABOUT EVEN WITH THE RUNWAY MID POINT, AND ABOUT 1/4 MILE AWAY, HE STRUCK A LARGE TREE, ABOUT 40 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. HE CRASHED 200 FEET AWAY, IN A LARGE GRASSY MEADOW, ON THE EDGE OF THE FOREST. THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND HE LOST POWER JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE POST-CRASH INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, THE PROPELLER WAS NOT ROTATING. THE ENGINE TURNED FREELY BY HAND, AND BOTH CYLINDERS DEVELOPED GOOD COMPRESSION. PLENTY OF ENGINE COOLANT WAS ON THE GROUND, AND MORE THAN 10 GAL OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD. THE THROTTLE WAS FOUND PULLED ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE IDLE POSITION. THREE WITNESSES STATED THE ENGINE SOUNDED FINE UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TREE AND CRASHED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.