What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 8/19/012 aircraft N942EJ departed runway 36, Cottonwood Airport. Shortly after liftoff, the PIC heard a bang with a subsequent loss of engine power. The aircraft landed in field approximately 800 feet from the departure end of the runway. Winnebago county sheriff police were on scene and noticed the number 2 cylinder aft spark plug was not installed into cylinder. The pilot acknowledged to the police and FAA that he removed/replaced the spark plugs prior to flight and could not remember properly installing the last spark plug, causing the reason for engine power loss.
As the FAA filed it
ON 8/19/012 AIRCRAFT N942EJ DEPARTED RUNWAY 36, COTTONWOOD AIRPORT. SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE PIC HEARD A BANG WITH A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. WINNEBAGO COUNTY SHERIFF POLICE WERE ON SCENE AND NOTICED THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER AFT SPARK PLUG WAS NOT INSTALLED INTO CYLINDER. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED TO THE POLICE AND FAA THAT HE REMOVED/REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS PRIOR TO FLIGHT AND COULD NOT REMEMBER PROPERLY INSTALLING THE LAST SPARK PLUG, CAUSING THE REASON FOR ENGINE POWER LOSS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.