What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot made an unscheduled precautionary landing in a field due to a suspected fuel transfer issue. Pilot verified fuel was present and decided to take off. (Pilot is also an A&P, maintenance was reported to be not required or performed.) The conditions of the field were not adequate to allow takeoff and climb quickly enough to clear the trees. Pilot reports that he stalled the aircraft and entered a spin. The low altitude caused impact before the spin could fully develop. The aircraft impacted the cornfield at approximately 90° left bank, cartwheeled once, and came to rest upright pointing in the opposite direction. Aircraft destroyed by a fire that was fed with a significant amount of fuel.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT MADE AN UNSCHEDULED PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD DUE TO A SUSPECTED FUEL TRANSFER ISSUE. PILOT VERIFIED FUEL WAS PRESENT AND DECIDED TO TAKE OFF. (PILOT IS ALSO AN A&P, MAINTENANCE WAS REPORTED TO BE NOT REQUIRED OR PERFORMED.) THE CONDITIONS OF THE FIELD WERE NOT ADEQUATE TO ALLOW TAKEOFF AND CLIMB QUICKLY ENOUGH TO CLEAR THE TREES. PILOT REPORTS THAT HE STALLED THE AIRCRAFT AND ENTERED A SPIN. THE LOW ALTITUDE CAUSED IMPACT BEFORE THE SPIN COULD FULLY DEVELOP. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE CORNFIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 90° LEFT BANK, CARTWHEELED ONCE, AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT POINTING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. AIRCRAFT DESTROYED BY A FIRE THAT WAS FED WITH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.