What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 01, 2005 at 1100 local, a Piper PA-28-180, N3992R was destroyed while attempting an emergency landing at morain air park (I73). The pilot reported smelling smoke in the cabin during takeoff, and that the engine performed normal on takeoff and climb to about 600 feet when he decided to return and land because "things just weren't right." When he banked left, the engine suddenly quit and the airplane stalled, striking trees and the ground. Inspection revealed no visible source of the smoke smell. Several pilots and mechanics witnessed the event, and stated that the engine sounded abnormal, and was sputtering and missing on the takeoff roll and after becoming airborne. All witnesses were confident that the airplane did not reach an altitude of more than 100 feet. During the investigation, the engine and electric fuel pump functioned normally on test stands. Because the aircraft was outside during torrential rains (.362 inch) the night before departure, running water over the cap for 40 seconds tested the left wing fuel cap gasket. Water was observed seeping under the gasket. The pilot reported taking a fuel sample, but no serviceable fuel sample device was found in the aircraft after the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 01, 2005 AT 1100 LOCAL, A PIPER PA-28-180, N3992R WAS DESTROYED WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT MORAIN AIR PARK (I73). THE PILOT REPORTED SMELLING SMOKE IN THE CABIN DURING TAKEOFF, AND THAT THE ENGINE PERFORMED NORMAL ON TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO ABOUT 600 FEET WHEN HE DECIDED TO RETURN AND LAND BECAUSE "THINGS JUST WEREN'T RIGHT." WHEN HE BANKED LEFT, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED, STRIKING TREES AND THE GROUND. INSPECTION REVEALED NO VISIBLE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE SMELL. SEVERAL PILOTS AND MECHANICS WITNESSED THE EVENT, AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED ABNORMAL, AND WAS SPUTTERING AND MISSING ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE. ALL WITNESSES WERE CONFIDENT THAT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT REACH AN ALTITUDE OF MORE THAN 100 FEET. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE ENGINE AND ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP FUNCTIONED NORMALLY ON TEST STANDS. BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT WAS OUTSIDE DURING TORRENTIAL RAINS (.362 INCH) THE NIGHT BEFORE DEPARTURE, RUNNING WATER OVER THE CAP FOR 40 SECONDS TESTED THE LEFT WING FUEL CAP GASKET. WATER WAS OBSERVED SEEPING UNDER THE GASKET. THE PILOT REPORTED TAKING A FUEL SAMPLE, BUT NO SERVICEABLE FUEL SAMPLE DEVICE WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3992R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.