What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Citabria 7KCAB N1701H departed runway 31L. Shortly after departure, at approximately 300 ft AGL, engine RPM dropped significantly. The CFI in the back seat stated that he could not see the tach. The aircraft began to descend. The CFI took the controls from the student pilot in the front seat and immediately began a sharp turn to the right and asked for permission to land on parallel runway 13L. The CFI successfully landed without incident just past the threshold of runway 13L. Troubleshooting of the aircraft revealed a broken muffler baffle that was plugging the single exhaust stack. The single muffler with single stack collects from all four cylinders. The loose peice of muffler baffle had a clean edge without any evidence of welding. The loose peice was the circular end cap of the internal muffler baffle.
As the FAA filed it
CITABRIA 7KCAB N1701H DEPARTED RUNWAY 31L. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE, AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FT AGL, ENGINE RPM DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY. THE CFI IN THE BACK SEAT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THE TACH. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS FROM THE STUDENT PILOT IN THE FRONT SEAT AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A SHARP TURN TO THE RIGHT AND ASKED FOR PERMISSION TO LAND ON PARALLEL RUNWAY 13L. THE CFI SUCCESSFULLY LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT JUST PAST THE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY 13L. TROUBLESHOOTING OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED A BROKEN MUFFLER BAFFLE THAT WAS PLUGGING THE SINGLE EXHAUST STACK. THE SINGLE MUFFLER WITH SINGLE STACK COLLECTS FROM ALL FOUR CYLINDERS. THE LOOSE PEICE OF MUFFLER BAFFLE HAD A CLEAN EDGE WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE OF WELDING. THE LOOSE PEICE WAS THE CIRCULAR END CAP OF THE INTERNAL MUFFLER BAFFLE.
Other reports on N1701H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.