What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot noted a rough running engine and landed the aircraft at rio vista, VA. Pilot contacted the owner and discussed the engine problem and flew the aircraft to Concord, CA to have engine work performed with his son on board as a passenger. The aircraft had experienced loss of engine power. After the #2 cylinder was replaced at the Concord airport, pilot did not obtain a maintenance release from the mechanic and did not perform a test flight. Pilot departed Concord airport with his son onboard and had a sudden loss of engine power on take off. This resulted in an emergency landing on I-680 during rush hour traffic hitting two vehicles and injuring a small child. Aircraft was destroyed in post-crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT NOTED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT AT RIO VISTA, VA. PILOT CONTACTED THE OWNER AND DISCUSSED THE ENGINE PROBLEM AND FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO CONCORD, CA TO HAVE ENGINE WORK PERFORMED WITH HIS SON ON BOARD AS A PASSENGER. THE AIRCRAFT HAD EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AFTER THE #2 CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AT THE CONCORD AIRPORT, PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A MAINTENANCE RELEASE FROM THE MECHANIC AND DID NOT PERFORM A TEST FLIGHT. PILOT DEPARTED CONCORD AIRPORT WITH HIS SON ONBOARD AND HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON TAKE OFF. THIS RESULTED IN AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON I-680 DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC HITTING TWO VEHICLES AND INJURING A SMALL CHILD. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN POST-CRASH FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.