What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft was taking off from rwy 29 at bed on initial flight after overhaul and re-installation of aircraft engine. At 500 feet AGL prop RPM suddenly dropped from 2700 to approximately 2550 and within 2-3 seconds the engine failed completely. Pilot turned left approximately 150 degrees and made emergency landing back to the field. He landed on the infield between runway 5-23, and taxiway sierra. Pilot extended gear and landed hard collapsing the gear on the second bounce. Aircraft slid approximately 300 feet and went between two corporate jet aircraft prior to stopping. Substantial damage, possibly destroyed. Engine was inspected by a representative of Continental aircraft engines, two FAA airworthiness inspectors and an NTSB aircraft accident investigator. Investigation revealed that unmetered fuel return line connected to the engine driven fuel pump had not been torqued. FAA inspector found that the line was only hand tight. Proper torque was applied to the nut holding the unmetered fuel line in place and engine ran normally. Torque was reduced and the engine ceased operating. This procedure was repeated several times and each time the engine ran successfully and then failed when torque was reduced.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS TAKING OFF FROM RWY 29 AT BED ON INITIAL FLIGHT AFTER OVERHAUL AND RE-INSTALLATION OF AIRCRAFT ENGINE. AT 500 FEET AGL PROP RPM SUDDENLY DROPPED FROM 2700 TO APPROXIMATELY 2550 AND WITHIN 2-3 SECONDS THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY. PILOT TURNED LEFT APPROXIMATELY 150 DEGREES AND MADE EMERGENCY LANDING BACK TO THE FIELD. HE LANDED ON THE INFIELD BETWEEN RUNWAY 5-23, AND TAXIWAY SIERRA. PILOT EXTENDED GEAR AND LANDED HARD COLLAPSING THE GEAR ON THE SECOND BOUNCE. AIRCRAFT SLID APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AND WENT BETWEEN TWO CORPORATE JET AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO STOPPING. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, POSSIBLY DESTROYED. ENGINE WAS INSPECTED BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF CONTINENTAL AIRCRAFT ENGINES, TWO FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS AND AN NTSB AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT UNMETERED FUEL RETURN LINE CONNECTED TO THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP HAD NOT BEEN TORQUED. FAA INSPECTOR FOUND THAT THE LINE WAS ONLY HAND TIGHT. PROPER TORQUE WAS APPLIED TO THE NUT HOLDING THE UNMETERED FUEL LINE IN PLACE AND ENGINE RAN NORMALLY. TORQUE WAS REDUCED AND THE ENGINE CEASED OPERATING. THIS PROCEDURE WAS REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES AND EACH TIME THE ENGINE RAN SUCCESSFULLY AND THEN FAILED WHEN TORQUE WAS REDUCED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.