What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PA-24-250, N88F, s/n 24-1961 departed Millville Municipal Airport, NJ (miv), for flight instruction from a certified flight instructor, and shortly after takeoff on runway 32 at about 150-200 feet, the aircraft engine lost power. The pilot did not attempt to restart the engine due to the low altitude and high speed. The pilot turned the aircraft left, reported that he did not have time to extend the landing gear, made an emergency gear up landing, and skidded approximately 120 feet from the impact point and came to a rest between taxiways alpha and juliet. Initial on-site aircraft inspection revealed that the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the aircraft fuselage, wing structure, and propeller. The aircraft?s left and right 30-gallon fuel tanks contained fuel (both almost full) with no evidence of leakage, and the aircraft?s left and right 15-gallon auxiliary ?tip? Tanks were empty.
The aircraft was subsequently moved to a secure location on the FBO?s ramp with the landing gear lowered. Upon subsequent inspection of the aircraft?s engine and fuel feed system, it was determined that the aircraft?s engine had the ability to produce sufficient power for flight. The inspection results revealed spark plugs electrodes had colorization consistent with normal combustion, the ignition leads provided a spark, compression was evident on all cylinders, the auxiliary fuel pumps were operating properly, and the throttle cables provided continuity.
As the FAA filed it
PA-24-250, N88F, S/N 24-1961 DEPARTED MILLVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, NJ (MIV), FOR FLIGHT INSTRUCTION FROM A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, AND SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 32 AT ABOUT 150-200 FEET, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE AND HIGH SPEED. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT LEFT, REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR, MADE AN EMERGENCY GEAR UP LANDING, AND SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 120 FEET FROM THE IMPACT POINT AND CAME TO A REST BETWEEN TAXIWAYS ALPHA AND JULIET. INITIAL ON-SITE AIRCRAFT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE, WING STRUCTURE, AND PROPELLER. THE AIRCRAFT?S LEFT AND RIGHT 30-GALLON FUEL TANKS CONTAINED FUEL (BOTH ALMOST FULL) WITH NO EVIDENCE OF LEAKAGE, AND THE AIRCRAFT?S LEFT AND RIGHT 15-GALLON AUXILIARY ?TIP? TANKS WERE EMPTY.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY MOVED TO A SECURE LOCATION ON THE FBO?S RAMP WITH THE LANDING GEAR LOWERED. UPON SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT?S ENGINE AND FUEL FEED SYSTEM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT?S ENGINE HAD THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE SUFFICIENT POWER FOR FLIGHT. THE INSPECTION RESULTS REVEALED SPARK PLUGS ELECTRODES HAD COLORIZATION CONSISTENT WITH NORMAL COMBUSTION, THE IGNITION LEADS PROVIDED A SPARK, COMPRESSION WAS EVIDENT ON ALL CYLINDERS, THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMPS WERE OPERATING PROPERLY, AND THE THROTTLE CABLES PROVIDED CONTINUITY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.