What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A complete restoration had just been finished and although the pilot stated he had not intended to fly the aircraft but was merely performing a high speed taxi down the runway, the aircraft departed the runway to the north.
The pilot chose to remain airborne and complete the traffic pattern. While turning crosswind, the engine began to loose power which the pilot believes to have been caused by carburetor ice.
The pilot did not have enough altitude nor airspeed to return to the runway but crashed into some trees parallel to the downwind leg. The aircraft suffered substantial damage and the pilot sustained only minor injuries.
A follow up examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence as to why the engine would have lost power.
As the FAA filed it
A COMPLETE RESTORATION HAD JUST BEEN FINISHED AND ALTHOUGH THE PILOT STATED HE HAD NOT INTENDED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT BUT WAS MERELY PERFORMING A HIGH SPEED TAXI DOWN THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE NORTH.
THE PILOT CHOSE TO REMAIN AIRBORNE AND COMPLETE THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. WHILE TURNING CROSSWIND, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER WHICH THE PILOT BELIEVES TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY CARBURETOR ICE.
THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE NOR AIRSPEED TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY BUT CRASHED INTO SOME TREES PARALLEL TO THE DOWNWIND LEG. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED ONLY MINOR INJURIES.
A FOLLOW UP EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE AS TO WHY THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE LOST POWER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.