What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft departed airport runway 31. Engine lost power at about 200 ft. AGL. Pilot attempted to maintain control, but when could not, turned the control of aircraft over to second pilot. Second pilot attempted to turn back toward airport but was unable to make airport. Aircraft landed adjacent to airport in a brushy muddy field. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to both wing leading edges, main landing gear structure, left fuselage areas, propeller damage, under carriage damage. Pilot reported he had carburator icing. Investigation confirmed fuel in both tanks. Ran engine and maintained power for trial run approximately 3 minutes. Found engine to be operating normally, however could not determine cause of actual loss of power. No injuries were reported. Investigation reveiled engine had undergone major maintenance (cylinder removal and replacement) performed by both pilots involved in crash. Both pilots were not certificated as powerplant mechanics and aircraft had not been returned to service by properly rated mechanic. First pilot biennial flight review had been expired. Second pilot biennial flight review had been expired, second pilot medical certificate had been expired. Aircraft was released back to owners on 01/05/2016.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AIRPORT RUNWAY 31. ENGINE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 200 FT. AGL. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, BUT WHEN COULD NOT, TURNED THE CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT OVER TO SECOND PILOT. SECOND PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN BACK TOWARD AIRPORT BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT LANDED ADJACENT TO AIRPORT IN A BRUSHY MUDDY FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WING LEADING EDGES, MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCTURE, LEFT FUSELAGE AREAS, PROPELLER DAMAGE, UNDER CARRIAGE DAMAGE. PILOT REPORTED HE HAD CARBURATOR ICING. INVESTIGATION CONFIRMED FUEL IN BOTH TANKS. RAN ENGINE AND MAINTAINED POWER FOR TRIAL RUN APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES. FOUND ENGINE TO BE OPERATING NORMALLY, HOWEVER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF ACTUAL LOSS OF POWER. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. INVESTIGATION REVEILED ENGINE HAD UNDERGONE MAJOR MAINTENANCE (CYLINDER REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT) PERFORMED BY BOTH PILOTS INVOLVED IN CRASH. BOTH PILOTS WERE NOT CERTIFICATED AS POWERPLANT MECHANICS AND AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN RETURNED TO SERVICE BY PROPERLY RATED MECHANIC. FIRST PILOT BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW HAD BEEN EXPIRED. SECOND PILOT BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW HAD BEEN EXPIRED, SECOND PILOT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD BEEN EXPIRED. AIRCRAFT WAS RELEASED BACK TO OWNERS ON 01/05/2016.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.