What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approximately 2015 UTC or 1515 LCL time, N25PP departed rwy 31 from intersection B4 on a VFR northbound test flight after an engine replacement. At approx. 1,200 feet AGL the pilot noticed a vibration. A magneto check was performed with the rt. Magneto ok and lt. magneto 250 RPM low; the engine smoothed out for approx 15 sec. And pilot was cleared by ATC to land on any runway. Climb power was applied during the turn back to the airport. A severe vibration occurred with a corresponding loss of 80% engne power followed engine/propeller stoppage approx. 10 seconds later. The fuel pump was confirmed on and the starter was unsuccessfully engaged in excess of 30 sec. With no re-start. The pilot attempted a unpowered deadstick landing on rwy 13 which borders the northbound side of hwy. U.S.1 and gun club road. The pilot applied one(1) notch of flaps in an attempt to land on the grass area surrounding RWY13, a second(2) notch of flaps was then applied to cross the airport fence. During the descent for landing, the pilot did not see the unmarked electrical wires stretched across hwy U.S. 1 which contacted the upper portion of the vertcal stabilizer, spun the aircraft and caused it to crash on the northbound side of U.S. 1. The aircraft came to a rest on the northbound side of U.S. 1 outside of the airport fence. The pilot extricated himself from the wreckage and the st. john's county fire and rescue responded to the scene. The pilot was taken to to baptist south hospital in jacksonville,Florida. The wreckage was then towed to the ramp spot at galaxy aviation at the airport under the direction of the NTSB.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROXIMATELY 2015 UTC OR 1515 LCL TIME, N25PP DEPARTED RWY 31 FROM INTERSECTION B4 ON A VFR NORTHBOUND TEST FLIGHT AFTER AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. AT APPROX. 1,200 FEET AGL THE PILOT NOTICED A VIBRATION. A MAGNETO CHECK WAS PERFORMED WITH THE RT. MAGNETO OK AND LT. MAGNETO 250 RPM LOW; THE ENGINE SMOOTHED OUT FOR APPROX 15 SEC. AND PILOT WAS CLEARED BY ATC TO LAND ON ANY RUNWAY. CLIMB POWER WAS APPLIED DURING THE TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT. A SEVERE VIBRATION OCCURRED WITH A CORRESPONDING LOSS OF 80% ENGNE POWER FOLLOWED ENGINE/PROPELLER STOPPAGE APPROX. 10 SECONDS LATER.THE FUEL PUMP WAS CONFIRMED ON AND THE STARTER WAS UNSUCCESSFULLY ENGAGED IN EXCESS OF 30 SEC. WITH NO RE-START.THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A UNPOWERED DEADSTICK LANDING ON RWY 13 WHICH BORDERS THE NORTHBOUND SIDE OF HWY. U.S.1 AND GUN CLUB ROAD. THE PILOT APPLIED ONE(1) NOTCH OF FLAPS IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND ON THE GRASS AREA SURROUNDING RWY13, A SECOND(2) NOTCH OF FLAPS WAS THEN APPLIED TO CROSS THE AIRPORT FENCE.DURING THE DESCENT FOR LANDING, THE PILOT DID NOT SEE THE UNMARKED ELECTRICAL WIRES STRETCHED ACROSS HWY U.S. 1 WHICH CONTACTED THE UPPER PORTION OF THE VERTCAL STABILIZER, SPUN THE AIRCRAFT AND CAUSED IT TO CRASH ON THE NORTHBOUND SIDE OF U.S. 1. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A REST ON THE NORTHBOUND SIDE OF U.S. 1 OUTSIDE OF THE AIRPORT FENCE.THE PILOT EXTRICATED HIMSELF FROM THE WRECKAGE AND THE ST. JOHN'S COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. THE PILOT WAS TAKEN TO TO BAPTIST SOUTH HOSPITAL IN JACKSONVILLE,FLORIDA. THE WRECKAGE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE RAMP SPOT AT GALAXY AVIATION AT THE AIRPORT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE NTSB.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.