What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 08 2015 this office received initial information of an accident at Pickens County Georgia airport (kjzp). One aircraft involved in accident, N4313E; s/n 38-78A05476. Initial call was that aircraft had a loss of power.
Accident occurred during take-off / climb out. Aircraft was destroyed from the result of the accident. Student-pilot was on solo flight and sustained fatal injuries. Student- pilot had acquired 13.5 known flight hours in this make/ model aircraft.
Inspectors from this office arrived at the location of the accident on 09 October 2015 at 10:00 am. Upon arrival we spoke with first responder the assistant fire chief of the Jasper fire dept. He informed us that the remains of the pilot had been removed and area of accident secured. He also informed us that the only known eyewitness was certified flight instructor. The CFI?s statement is attached.
After review of the aircraft and obvious damage it is in my opinion that the aircraft was not under engine power at impact. Lycoming representative explored the internal and external components of the engine. He did not find any damaged or defective components that would suggest engine failure.
During further investigation the configuration of the aircraft, flight, and fuel information suggest there may have been less than unusable fuel onboard at the time of this investigation. There was no indication of excessive fuel spillage at the scene of this accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 08 2015 THIS OFFICE RECEIVED INITIAL INFORMATION OF AN ACCIDENT AT PICKENS COUNTY GEORGIA AIRPORT (KJZP). ONE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT, N4313E; S/N 38-78A05476. INITIAL CALL WAS THAT AIRCRAFT HAD A LOSS OF POWER.
ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING TAKE-OFF / CLIMB OUT. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED FROM THE RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. STUDENT-PILOT WAS ON SOLO FLIGHT AND SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. STUDENT- PILOT HAD ACQUIRED 13.5 KNOWN FLIGHT HOURS IN THIS MAKE/ MODEL AIRCRAFT.
INSPECTORS FROM THIS OFFICE ARRIVED AT THE LOCATION OF THE ACCIDENT ON 09 OCTOBER 2015 AT 10:00 AM. UPON ARRIVAL WE SPOKE WITH FIRST RESPONDER THE ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF OF THE JASPER FIRE DEPT. HE INFORMED US THAT THE REMAINS OF THE PILOT HAD BEEN REMOVED AND AREA OF ACCIDENT SECURED. HE ALSO INFORMED US THAT THE ONLY KNOWN EYEWITNESS WAS CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE CFI?S STATEMENT IS ATTACHED.
AFTER REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT AND OBVIOUS DAMAGE IT IS IN MY OPINION THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT UNDER ENGINE POWER AT IMPACT. LYCOMING REPRESENTATIVE EXPLORED THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMPONENTS OF THE ENGINE. HE DID NOT FIND ANY DAMAGED OR DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS THAT WOULD SUGGEST ENGINE FAILURE.
DURING FURTHER INVESTIGATION THE CONFIGURATION OF THE AIRCRAFT, FLIGHT, AND FUEL INFORMATION SUGGEST THERE MAY HAVE BEEN LESS THAN UNUSABLE FUEL ONBOARD AT THE TIME OF THIS INVESTIGATION. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF EXCESSIVE FUEL SPILLAGE AT THE SCENE OF THIS ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.