What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot attempted a take off from Southern Cross Airport. He stated the engine lost power in the climb. The prop hit a tree and the aircraft crashed into a car that was parked at a house at the end of the departure runway. Inspection of the spark plugs using a champion pneumatic spark tester set at the prescribed 80 p.s.I. Showed the plugs that were installed in #1 cylinder exhibited minimal sparks which was yellow in color and very weak. All of the lower cylinder plugs were found to be oil soaked and tested below the normal range. This aircraft engine was assembled with overhauled cylinders in 2006. At the time of the accident the engine only had an additional six hours and four tenths time since cylinder installation. It appears that the rings were not seated in the cylinders due to low aircraft usage/infrequent flights.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKE OFF FROM SOUTHERN CROSS AIRPORT. HE STATED THE ENGINE LOST POWER IN THE CLIMB. THE PROP HIT A TREE AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A CAR THAT WAS PARKED AT A HOUSE AT THE END OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. INSPECTION OF THE SPARK PLUGS USING A CHAMPION PNEUMATIC SPARK TESTER SET AT THE PRESCRIBED 80 P.S.I. SHOWED THE PLUGS THAT WERE INSTALLED IN #1 CYLINDER EXHIBITED MINIMAL SPARKS WHICH WAS YELLOW IN COLOR AND VERY WEAK. ALL OF THE LOWER CYLINDER PLUGS WERE FOUND TO BE OIL SOAKED AND TESTED BELOW THE NORMAL RANGE.THIS AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS ASSEMBLED WITH OVERHAULED CYLINDERS IN 2006. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE ENGINE ONLY HAD AN ADDITIONAL SIX HOURS AND FOUR TENTHS TIME SINCE CYLINDER INSTALLATION. IT APPEARS THAT THE RINGS WERE NOT SEATED IN THE CYLINDERS DUE TO LOW AIRCRAFT USAGE/INFREQUENT FLIGHTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.