What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After lift-off, engine started losing power. Unable to land straight ahead. Started shallow left bank. Clipped a tree and landing gear caught ridge line of roof of nearby house. Airplane rotated to almost vertical and nosed into the roof and through the attic stopping just short of the living room floor. No injuries to the occupants of the airplane or the house. Airplane was at 9A5 to have some repairs done to the avionics, such as (1) front panel pulled out (2) replumbed pitot system (3) replaced right nav light (4) fixed stall warning (5) replaced tail light bulb. Pilot did commendable job of steering airplane so as to minimize injuries/fatalities. Bench test of carburetor revealed stuck float which causes fuel starvation.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER LIFT-OFF, ENGINE STARTED LOSING POWER. UNABLE TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD. STARTED SHALLOW LEFT BANK. CLIPPED A TREE AND LANDING GEAR CAUGHT RIDGE LINE OF ROOF OF NEARBY HOUSE. AIRPLANE ROTATED TO ALMOST VERTICAL AND NOSED INTO THE ROOF AND THROUGH THE ATTIC STOPPING JUST SHORT OF THE LIVING ROOM FLOOR. NO INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE AIRPLANE OR THE HOUSE. AIRPLANE WAS AT 9A5 TO HAVE SOME REPAIRS DONE TO THE AVIONICS, SUCH AS (1) FRONT PANEL PULLED OUT (2) REPLUMBED PITOT SYSTEM (3) REPLACED RIGHT NAV LIGHT (4) FIXED STALL WARNING (5) REPLACED TAIL LIGHT BULB. PILOT DID COMMENDABLE JOB OF STEERING AIRPLANE SO AS TO MINIMIZE INJURIES/FATALITIES. BENCH TEST OF CARBURETOR REVEALED STUCK FLOAT WHICH CAUSES FUEL STARVATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.