What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
An experienced pilot, though allowing for density altitude with the aircraft at or near gross weight, elected an uphill takeoff on runway 35. The aircraft was unable to achieve altitude. When approaching the end of the runway, the pilot avoided a tree and added another notch of flaps. The aircraft lost altitude and crash landed in trees and brush immediately catching fire. The pilot and 1 passenger escaped with minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. Further follow up with examination of the engine. The aircraft engine teardown inspection was conducted at plain parts, pacific grove, CA. On 7/20/2011. The inspection was conducted by inspector privacy data omitted, NTSB, inspector privacy data omitted, FAA, and privacy data omitted of plain parts. The initial results of the inspection bearing on performance was the lack of measurable compression in cylinders one and two. No immediate cause could be determined. For full results of the inspection see inspector privacy data omitted report for that date. Conclusion: the airworthiness of the aircraft has been called into question. The engine tear down inspection indicated that in two cylinders compression was flat. It is impossible to determine if this condition was present during the attempted take off. What is known is that the pilot did not recognize a problem until the aircraft approached the end of a runway which, at 4670 feet, is nearly twice the take off distance normally required for that model aircraft with that engine and load and at that density altitude. The pilot has been counseled by a faast team inspector.
As the FAA filed it
AN EXPERIENCED PILOT, THOUGH ALLOWING FOR DENSITY ALTITUDE WITH THE AIRCRAFT AT OR NEAR GROSS WEIGHT, ELECTED AN UPHILL TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 35. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO ACHIEVE ALTITUDE. WHEN APPROACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT AVOIDED A TREE AND ADDED ANOTHER NOTCH OF FLAPS. THE AIRCRAFT LOST ALTITUDE AND CRASH LANDED IN TREES AND BRUSH IMMEDIATELY CATCHING FIRE. THE PILOT AND 1 PASSENGER ESCAPED WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. FURTHER FOLLOW UP WITH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE.THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED AT PLAIN PARTS, PACIFIC GROVE, CA. ON 7/20/2011. THE INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED BY INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, NTSB, INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, FAA, AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF PLAIN PARTS.THE INITIAL RESULTS OF THE INSPECTION BEARING ON PERFORMANCE WAS THE LACK OF MEASURABLE COMPRESSION IN CYLINDERS ONE AND TWO. NO IMMEDIATE CAUSE COULD BE DETERMINED. FOR FULL RESULTS OF THE INSPECTION SEE INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPORT FOR THAT DATE.CONCLUSION: THE AIRWORTHINESS OF THE AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN CALLED INTO QUESTION. THE ENGINE TEAR DOWN INSPECTION INDICATED THAT IN TWO CYLINDERS COMPRESSION WAS FLAT. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE IF THIS CONDITION WAS PRESENT DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKE OFF.WHAT IS KNOWN IS THAT THE PILOT DID NOT RECOGNIZE A PROBLEM UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE END OF A RUNWAY WHICH, AT 4670 FEET, IS NEARLY TWICE THE TAKE OFF DISTANCE NORMALLY REQUIRED FOR THAT MODEL AIRCRAFT WITH THAT ENGINE AND LOAD AND AT THAT DENSITY ALTITUDE. THE PILOT HAS BEEN COUNSELED BY A FAAST TEAM INSPECTOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.