What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 23, 2013, at about 1838 pacific daylight time, N8223W, a Piper PA-28 aircraft, departed sacramento executive airport (ksac), sacramento, CA, for a local training flight. Shortly after take-off from runway 20, at about 500 feet MSL, the aircraft?s engine sputtered momentarily, and then was restored to normal operating power after the pilot switched fuel tanks. However, a few seconds later, the engine lost thrust, and the aircraft?s climb performance began to deteriorate. The pilot adjusted the pitch angle of the aircraft to maintain best glide, and made a left turn towards a golf course located approximately one-half nautical miles south of the airport. The pilot and his instructor carried out a forced landing. The aircraft was in a near-level attitude when it struck a stand of trees, and came to rest inverted on the ground. Nearby golfers quickly contacted emergency services and offered assistance. The pilots sustained serious injuries from the crash. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces, and there was no post-impact fire.
The aircraft wreckage was transported to an approved tear down facility for further examination.
This report may be revised with additional evidence.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 23, 2013, AT ABOUT 1838 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, N8223W, A PIPER PA-28 AIRCRAFT, DEPARTED SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (KSAC), SACRAMENTO, CA, FOR A LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM RUNWAY 20, AT ABOUT 500 FEET MSL, THE AIRCRAFT?S ENGINE SPUTTERED MOMENTARILY, AND THEN WAS RESTORED TO NORMAL OPERATING POWER AFTER THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. HOWEVER, A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE ENGINE LOST THRUST, AND THE AIRCRAFT?S CLIMB PERFORMANCE BEGAN TO DETERIORATE. THE PILOT ADJUSTED THE PITCH ANGLE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO MAINTAIN BEST GLIDE, AND MADE A LEFT TURN TOWARDS A GOLF COURSE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY ONE-HALF NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT AND HIS INSTRUCTOR CARRIED OUT A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A NEAR-LEVEL ATTITUDE WHEN IT STRUCK A STAND OF TREES, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED ON THE GROUND. NEARBY GOLFERS QUICKLY CONTACTED EMERGENCY SERVICES AND OFFERED ASSISTANCE. THE PILOTS SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES FROM THE CRASH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES, AND THERE WAS NO POST-IMPACT FIRE.
THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS TRANSPORTED TO AN APPROVED TEAR DOWN FACILITY FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.
THIS REPORT MAY BE REVISED WITH ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.