What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft had just undergone maintenance, which included reassembly and installing a time continued engine after transport of the aircraft by ground from Arizona to California. The maintenance performed by privacy data omitted included fabricating a flexible fuel line for installation from the gascolator to the carburetor. The privacy data omitted was in the process of making high speed taxi tests when the aircraft inadvertently became airborne. He elected to continue the flight rather than landing and risk going off the end of the runway. At this time, persons on the ground heard the engine quit and then restart and quit again. Inspection of the engine did not find any reason for the loss of power. Inspection of the airframe determined that the fabricated fuel was obstructed by hose material cut from the interior of the hose during installation of both the gascolator and carburetor end hose fittings.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT HAD JUST UNDERGONE MAINTENANCE, WHICH INCLUDED REASSEMBLY AND INSTALLING A TIME CONTINUED ENGINE AFTER TRANSPORT OF THE AIRCRAFT BY GROUND FROM ARIZONA TO CALIFORNIA. THE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INCLUDED FABRICATING A FLEXIBLE FUEL LINE FOR INSTALLATION FROM THE GASCOLATOR TO THE CARBURETOR. THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING HIGH SPEED TAXI TESTS WHEN THE AIRCRAFT INADVERTENTLY BECAME AIRBORNE. HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT RATHER THAN LANDING AND RISK GOING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. AT THIS TIME, PERSONS ON THE GROUND HEARD THE ENGINE QUIT AND THEN RESTART AND QUIT AGAIN. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT FIND ANY REASON FOR THE LOSS OF POWER. INSPECTION OF THE AIRFRAME DETERMINED THAT THE FABRICATED FUEL WAS OBSTRUCTED BY HOSE MATERIAL CUT FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE HOSE DURING INSTALLATION OF BOTH THE GASCOLATOR AND CARBURETOR END HOSE FITTINGS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.