What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
1 - Airman had not flown accident aircraft in 2 years. The 2 pilots he shared hangar with stated the last time he flew the accident aircraft, its engine quit shortly after takeoff and he was able to land safely back on the rwy.
2 - Airman/builder had recently completed converting the aircraft landing gear from conventional to tricycle configuration.
3 - Witnesses stated they heard the airplane engine sputter during crosswind turn.
4 - The pilot attempted to make an off-airport landing causing the nose wheel landing gear to damage the header fuel tank resulting in a post crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
1 - AIRMAN HAD NOT FLOWN ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT IN 2 YEARS. THE 2 PILOTS HE SHARED HANGAR WITH STATED THE LAST TIME HE FLEW THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, ITS ENGINE QUIT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND HE WAS ABLE TO LAND SAFELY BACK ON THE RWY.
2 - AIRMAN/BUILDER HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED CONVERTING THE AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR FROM CONVENTIONAL TO TRICYCLE CONFIGURATION.
3 - WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD THE AIRPLANE ENGINE SPUTTER DURING CROSSWIND TURN.
4 - THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING CAUSING THE NOSE WHEEL LANDING GEAR TO DAMAGE THE HEADER FUEL TANK RESULTING IN A POST CRASH FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.