What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After takeoff from runway 17 at L05, the engine failed. The aircraft had climbed to approximately 40 feet above the runway and had used approx 1/2 of the 3500' runway. The aircraft landed on the runway approx 150 feet from the end and impacted rocks prior to going off the end of the runway which has a sharp drop off. It became airborne again and landed in soft dirt approximately 300 feet from the runway approximately 50 feet below it. The pilot suffered a serious head injury possibly due to an unsecured tool box in the rear seat (loose tools were found throughout the cabin). The aircraft suffered substantial damage. There was fuel in the right tank but no fuel in the left tank. The fuel selector was found in the position of the empty tank. Investigation found no evidence of fuel contamination. There were no other indications of mechanical problems.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 17 AT L05, THE ENGINE FAILED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY AND HAD USED APPROX 1/2 OF THE 3500' RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE RUNWAY APPROX 150 FEET FROM THE END AND IMPACTED ROCKS PRIOR TO GOING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY WHICH HAS A SHARP DROP OFF. IT BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN AND LANDED IN SOFT DIRT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET BELOW IT. THE PILOT SUFFERED A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY POSSIBLY DUE TO AN UNSECURED TOOL BOX IN THE REAR SEAT (LOOSE TOOLS WERE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE CABIN). THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WAS FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK BUT NO FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE POSITION OF THE EMPTY TANK. INVESTIGATION FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL CONTAMINATION. THERE WERE NO OTHER INDICATIONS OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.