What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) A/c departed deland at 8:50 am and landed at kay Larkin in Palatka, FL. A/c top off at Palatka and departed approx 9:30 am. After a/c cleared end of rwy 17 engine began losing power, pilot tried to return to airport but impacted the trees approx 200 ft short of rwy. A/c destroyed. A/c recovered by quality a/c salvage of groveland, FL. Since this engine is in process oc certificaton by mistral engines usa, and a/c is experimental research and developement we will be performing a engine run and teardown at a later date. Investigation concluded that the loss of power was caused by the collapse of the muffler inner tube and packing material which blocked the muffler exit and increased the internal back pressure which reduced engine output power.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) A/C DEPARTED DELAND AT 8:50 AM AND LANDED AT KAY LARKIN IN PALATKA, FL. A/C TOP OFF AT PALATKA AND DEPARTED APPROX 9:30 AM. AFTER A/C CLEARED END OF RWY 17 ENGINE BEGAN LOSING POWER, PILOT TRIED TO RETURN TO AIRPORT BUT IMPACTED THE TREES APPROX 200 FT SHORT OF RWY. A/C DESTROYED. A/C RECOVERED BY QUALITY A/C SALVAGE OF GROVELAND, FL. SINCE THIS ENGINE IS IN PROCESS OC CERTIFICATON BY MISTRAL ENGINES USA, AND A/C IS EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPEMENT WE WILL BE PERFORMING A ENGINE RUN AND TEARDOWN AT A LATER DATE. INVESTIGATION CONCLUDED THAT THE LOSS OF POWER WAS CAUSED BY THE COLLAPSE OF THE MUFFLER INNER TUBE AND PACKING MATERIAL WHICH BLOCKED THE MUFFLER EXIT AND INCREASED THE INTERNAL BACK PRESSURE WHICH REDUCED ENGINE OUTPUT POWER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.