What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N9459J, a Piper PA-28-180, departed ryy for jzp. When arriving at jzp, a before landing check was conducted iaw the aircraft checklist, where the fuel switch was set to the fullest tank (in this case it was moved from the right to the left tank). A normal approach and go-around was conducted. During the second pattern, the fuel selector was not moved and a soft field approach and go-around was planned. On the go-around, the power was applied with a normal reaction, but once in the air the engine sputtered. The pilot lowered the pitch attitude and the power almost immediately recovered. The pilot then adjusted the controls to obtain a normal takeoff/pitch attitude and then the engine totally quit. A witness on the ground, a local flight instructor, confirmed these events as he saw the aircraft go by and heard the same noise the pilot did.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N9459J, A PIPER PA-28-180, DEPARTED RYY FOR JZP. WHEN ARRIVING AT JZP, A BEFORE LANDING CHECK WAS CONDUCTED IAW THE AIRCRAFT CHECKLIST, WHERE THE FUEL SWITCH WAS SET TO THE FULLEST TANK (IN THIS CASE IT WAS MOVED FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT TANK). A NORMAL APPROACH AND GO-AROUND WAS CONDUCTED. DURING THE SECOND PATTERN, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS NOT MOVED AND A SOFT FIELD APPROACH AND GO-AROUND WAS PLANNED. ON THE GO-AROUND, THE POWER WAS APPLIED WITH A NORMAL REACTION, BUT ONCE IN THE AIR THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. THE PILOT LOWERED THE PITCH ATTITUDE AND THE POWER ALMOST IMMEDIATELY RECOVERED. THE PILOT THEN ADJUSTED THE CONTROLS TO OBTAIN A NORMAL TAKEOFF/PITCH ATTITUDE AND THEN THE ENGINE TOTALLY QUIT. A WITNESS ON THE GROUND, A LOCAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, CONFIRMED THESE EVENTS AS HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT GO BY AND HEARD THE SAME NOISE THE PILOT DID.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.