What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The mishap pilot was the sole occupant and pilot in command of N23683 during the accident. The mishap aircraft has just conducted a takeoff from a grass strip when it experienced a power loss. The mishap aircraft impacted the trees just beyond the departure end of the runway, and came to rest in a creek beyond the treeline.
The aircraft was examined on scene. There was a complete lack of impact damage to the propeller. The aircraft had adequate fuel on board, though the fuel selector was off. It was positioned there after the mishap at the request of first responders, as the airplane was leaking fuel into the creek. The materiel condition of the aircraft was poor, as a result of substandard maintenance. Engine compression was low. Unapproved modifications had been made to the aircraft baggage compartment. The ductwork for the carb heat system was dry rotted and unserviceable. The linkage from the cockpit to the butterfly valve for the carb heat was not rigged correctly, rendering the system inoperative. Ambient conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of carburetor ice.
The mishap pilot sustained serious back injuries resulting in surgery. As a result of hospitalization, we have not yet been able to obtain pilot or aircraft logbooks.
As the FAA filed it
THE MISHAP PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND PILOT IN COMMAND OF N23683 DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE MISHAP AIRCRAFT HAS JUST CONDUCTED A TAKEOFF FROM A GRASS STRIP WHEN IT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS. THE MISHAP AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TREES JUST BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND CAME TO REST IN A CREEK BEYOND THE TREELINE.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED ON SCENE. THERE WAS A COMPLETE LACK OF IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER. THE AIRCRAFT HAD ADEQUATE FUEL ON BOARD, THOUGH THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS OFF. IT WAS POSITIONED THERE AFTER THE MISHAP AT THE REQUEST OF FIRST RESPONDERS, AS THE AIRPLANE WAS LEAKING FUEL INTO THE CREEK. THE MATERIEL CONDITION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS POOR, AS A RESULT OF SUBSTANDARD MAINTENANCE. ENGINE COMPRESSION WAS LOW. UNAPPROVED MODIFICATIONS HAD BEEN MADE TO THE AIRCRAFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. THE DUCTWORK FOR THE CARB HEAT SYSTEM WAS DRY ROTTED AND UNSERVICEABLE. THE LINKAGE FROM THE COCKPIT TO THE BUTTERFLY VALVE FOR THE CARB HEAT WAS NOT RIGGED CORRECTLY, RENDERING THE SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. AMBIENT CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.
THE MISHAP PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS BACK INJURIES RESULTING IN SURGERY. AS A RESULT OF HOSPITALIZATION, WE HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN PILOT OR AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS.