What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was on takeoff roll from runway 17 at horseshoe bay airport (dzb) when fuel flow dropped as engine reached 25 inches of manifold pressure, this problem had occured intermittenly six weeks earlier. Pilot elected to abort the takeoff and did so, however pilot returned to the departure end of runway 17 and attempted a second takeoff. During the takeoff roll the engine again lost full power at this point the aircraft was well past rotate distance (approximatly 4000 ft. down the runway). Aircraft then began a slow liftoff pilot retracted landing gear but could not achieve climbout power. Pilot realized his best option was to extend the flight to a nearby highway and attempt an emergency landing. Pilot stated in a last effort to increase engine power he selected the fuel boost pump to high. This had a negative effect and the aircraft lost lift. The aircraft struck some trees then crashed onto the highway. Upon impact the aircraft caught fire. Pilot exited the aircraft with minor injuries. Aircraft was destroyed. Continental engines representative john kent contacted this
Office via e-mail stating the engine was examined at the facilities of air
Salvage of dallas in lancaster, Texas under the supervision of the national
Transportation safety board. No discrepancies were observed with the engine
Other than impact and fire damage.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS ON TAKEOFF ROLL FROM RUNWAY 17 AT HORSESHOE BAY AIRPORT (DZB) WHEN FUEL FLOW DROPPED AS ENGINE REACHED 25 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE, THIS PROBLEM HAD OCCURED INTERMITTENLY SIX WEEKS EARLIER. PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF AND DID SO, HOWEVER PILOT RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 17 AND ATTEMPTED A SECOND TAKEOFF. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE ENGINE AGAIN LOST FULL POWER AT THIS POINT THE AIRCRAFT WAS WELL PAST ROTATE DISTANCE (APPROXIMATLY 4000 FT. DOWN THE RUNWAY). AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN A SLOW LIFTOFF PILOT RETRACTED LANDING GEAR BUT COULD NOT ACHIEVE CLIMBOUT POWER. PILOT REALIZED HIS BEST OPTION WAS TO EXTEND THE FLIGHT TO A NEARBY HIGHWAY AND ATTEMPT AN EMERGENCY LANDING. PILOT STATED IN A LAST EFFORT TO INCREASE ENGINE POWER HE SELECTED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP TO HIGH. THIS HAD A NEGATIVE EFFECT AND THE AIRCRAFT LOST LIFT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK SOME TREES THEN CRASHED ONTO THE HIGHWAY. UPON IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE. PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. CONTINENTAL ENGINES REPRESENTATIVE JOHN KENT CONTACTED THIS
OFFICE VIA E-MAIL STATING THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED AT THE FACILITIES OF AIR
SALVAGE OF DALLAS IN LANCASTER, TEXAS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE NATIONAL
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE OBSERVED WITH THE ENGINE
OTHER THAN IMPACT AND FIRE DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.