What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 05/31/2004, at 1056 hours PDT, a Piper PA-28R-180 model aircraft, N7626J, collided with level terrain following a loss of engine power after takeoff from runway 17 at Columbia Airport (O22), sonora, CA. The pilot/owner operated the aircraft under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The aircraft was destroyed in the post-impact fire. The private pilot (owner) was seated in the right seat, and the commercial pilot was seated in the left seat. Both occupants sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The accident site was about 1/4 mile off the departure end of runway 17 on top of a hill. The aircraft came to rest 35 feet from the first identified point-of-contact, in an upright attitude. The left wing root/fuel tank area struck a rock outcropping; this compromised the left fuel tank, causing a post-impact fire. Impact damage did not compromise the right wing fuel tank. The ensuing fire destroyed the cabin of the aircraft. According to several witnesses at the airport, they heard the engine "missing, sputtering and not sounding normal" during takeoff roll. One witness stated he heard a "backfire" when the aircraft was about 100 yards down the runway.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 05/31/2004, AT 1056 HOURS PDT, A PIPER PA-28R-180 MODEL AIRCRAFT, N7626J, COLLIDED WITH LEVEL TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 17 AT COLUMBIA AIRPORT (O22), SONORA, CA. THE PILOT/OWNER OPERATED THE AIRCRAFT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE POST-IMPACT FIRE. THE PRIVATE PILOT (OWNER) WAS SEATED IN THE RIGHT SEAT, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS SEATED IN THE LEFT SEAT. BOTH OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOUT 1/4 MILE OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 17 ON TOP OF A HILL. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 35 FEET FROM THE FIRST IDENTIFIED POINT-OF-CONTACT, IN AN UPRIGHT ATTITUDE. THE LEFT WING ROOT/FUEL TANK AREA STRUCK A ROCK OUTCROPPING; THIS COMPROMISED THE LEFT FUEL TANK, CAUSING A POST-IMPACT FIRE. IMPACT DAMAGE DID NOT COMPROMISE THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK. THE ENSUING FIRE DESTROYED THE CABIN OF THE AIRCRAFT. ACCORDING TO SEVERAL WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT, THEY HEARD THE ENGINE "MISSING, SPUTTERING AND NOT SOUNDING NORMAL" DURING TAKEOFF ROLL. ONE WITNESS STATED HE HEARD A "BACKFIRE" WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 100 YARDS DOWN THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.