What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot intended to ferry the aircraft to a location where more extensive maintenance could be performed. Aircraft had not been flown in seventeen years. The pilot/mechanic reassembled the partially disassembled aircraft, putting the wings back on, purging the fuel system and a long list of checks required in the ferry permit language. The ferry permit was signed and the aircraft had 35 gallons of fresh fuel in the left tank and 0 (none) in the right tank. The flight manual calls for the fullest tank to be selected for takeoff. It was properly on the left tank. The aircraft went through a long run up, and a high speed taxi on the runway to confirm all systems including the pitot-static system were functional. The aircraft then back taxied for takeoff and a second run up was performed as part of the takeoff checklist. The aircraft then took off, accelerating normally and the climb seemed brisk, but just beyond the departure end of the runway, at approximately 250' AGL the engine sputtered, and quit. The pilot switched the boost pump on and the engine refired, gathered full power, and then quit again. The pilot then looked for a place to land. He did put the plane in a small pond with no injury, but substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT INTENDED TO FERRY THE AIRCRAFT TO A LOCATION WHERE MORE EXTENSIVE MAINTENANCE COULD BE PERFORMED. AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN IN SEVENTEEN YEARS. THE PILOT/MECHANIC REASSEMBLED THE PARTIALLY DISASSEMBLED AIRCRAFT, PUTTING THE WINGS BACK ON, PURGING THE FUEL SYSTEM AND A LONG LIST OF CHECKS REQUIRED IN THE FERRY PERMIT LANGUAGE. THE FERRY PERMIT WAS SIGNED AND THE AIRCRAFT HAD 35 GALLONS OF FRESH FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND 0 (NONE) IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE FLIGHT MANUAL CALLS FOR THE FULLEST TANK TO BE SELECTED FOR TAKEOFF. IT WAS PROPERLY ON THE LEFT TANK. THE AIRCRAFT WENT THROUGH A LONG RUN UP, AND A HIGH SPEED TAXI ON THE RUNWAY TO CONFIRM ALL SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE PITOT-STATIC SYSTEM WERE FUNCTIONAL. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BACK TAXIED FOR TAKEOFF AND A SECOND RUN UP WAS PERFORMED AS PART OF THE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TOOK OFF, ACCELERATING NORMALLY AND THE CLIMB SEEMED BRISK, BUT JUST BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AT APPROXIMATELY 250' AGL THE ENGINE SPUTTERED, AND QUIT. THE PILOT SWITCHED THE BOOST PUMP ON AND THE ENGINE REFIRED, GATHERED FULL POWER, AND THEN QUIT AGAIN. THE PILOT THEN LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND. HE DID PUT THE PLANE IN A SMALL POND WITH NO INJURY, BUT SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.