What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) privacy data omitted ATP certificate number privacy data omitted total hours 12,500, hours approximately 15 hours in type. Aircraft departed a private strip and flew approximately 30 minutes landing at a friends private stip with no problems or issues. Aircraft then departed the friends private strip when at approximately 400 feet on climb-out the oil and water temp had risen to about 200-225 degrees. The pilot decided to return to friends private strip. During the turn back to the private strip the engine seized. The pilot put the aircraft down in a field in avoidance of hitting a tree line. Fuel was found present in both wings; both fuel selectors were in the off position, main fuel filter appeared clear, throttle was full in and no sign of prop rotation at time of impact. Further investigation revealed that the pilot received a compressed disc and no other injuries. Inspection of the engine by a certificated mechanic revealed the coolant cap was off the tank and that coolant had escaped causing the overheat and seize of the Rotax engine. The pilot/owner stated that he would not be repairing the engine or airframe and would sell it as salvage. No further investigation required with this report and this investigation is considered closed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ATP CERTIFICATE NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOTAL HOURS 12,500, HOURS APPROXIMATELY 15 HOURS IN TYPE. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED A PRIVATE STRIP AND FLEW APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES LANDING AT A FRIENDS PRIVATE STIP WITH NO PROBLEMS OR ISSUES. AIRCRAFT THEN DEPARTED THE FRIENDS PRIVATE STRIP WHEN AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET ON CLIMB-OUT THE OIL AND WATER TEMP HAD RISEN TO ABOUT 200-225 DEGREES. THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO FRIENDS PRIVATE STRIP. DURING THE TURN BACK TO THE PRIVATE STRIP THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE PILOT PUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN IN A FIELD IN AVOIDANCE OF HITTING A TREE LINE. FUEL WAS FOUND PRESENT IN BOTH WINGS; BOTH FUEL SELECTORS WERE IN THE OFF POSITION, MAIN FUEL FILTER APPEARED CLEAR, THROTTLE WAS FULL IN AND NO SIGN OF PROP ROTATION AT TIME OF IMPACT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT RECEIVED A COMPRESSED DISC AND NO OTHER INJURIES. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE BY A CERTIFICATED MECHANIC REVEALED THE COOLANT CAP WAS OFF THE TANK AND THAT COOLANT HAD ESCAPED CAUSING THE OVERHEAT AND SEIZE OF THE ROTAX ENGINE. THE PILOT/OWNER STATED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRING THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME AND WOULD SELL IT AS SALVAGE. NO FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED WITH THIS REPORT AND THIS INVESTIGATION IS CONSIDERED CLOSED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.