What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Mishap pilot (mp) was practicing touch and goes at private gravel strip. He had stopped for lunch. Second flight of the day he took off and the engine backfired and then quit. He switched the fuel selector to both but the engine would not restart.
Aircraft was approximately 2-300' above the ground. Mp stated he tried to restart but had very little time. He looked for a place to land but there was none. He slowed to best speed just prior to aircrafts right wing hitting a tree. Aircraft hit flat but pilot does not remember the final few seconds of the crash.
Pilot was very helpful and forthcoming in his interview.
Two witnesses heard the engine backfire and the crash.
An eye witness could not recall what he heard, just the plane going down into the Willow trees.
Pilot was well rested and had good experience in the aircraft.
While new to tail wheel aircraft he has many pilot hours in helicopters and other fixed wing aircraft.
Very positive and compliant attitude.
Aircraft was seen flying very low when its wing pitched up and it crashed into the Willow trees.
Aircraft was being worked on and, apparently/unverified, had just taken off from local lake where engine adjustments had just been made.
As the FAA filed it
MISHAP PILOT (MP) WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GOES AT PRIVATE GRAVEL STRIP. HE HAD STOPPED FOR LUNCH. SECOND FLIGHT OF THE DAY HE TOOK OFF AND THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND THEN QUIT. HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO BOTH BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART.
AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 2-300' ABOVE THE GROUND. MP STATED HE TRIED TO RESTART BUT HAD VERY LITTLE TIME. HE LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND BUT THERE WAS NONE. HE SLOWED TO BEST SPEED JUST PRIOR TO AIRCRAFTS RIGHT WING HITTING A TREE. AIRCRAFT HIT FLAT BUT PILOT DOES NOT REMEMBER THE FINAL FEW SECONDS OF THE CRASH.
PILOT WAS VERY HELPFUL AND FORTHCOMING IN HIS INTERVIEW.
TWO WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE BACKFIRE AND THE CRASH.
AN EYE WITNESS COULD NOT RECALL WHAT HE HEARD, JUST THE PLANE GOING DOWN INTO THE WILLOW TREES.
PILOT WAS WELL RESTED AND HAD GOOD EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT.
WHILE NEW TO TAIL WHEEL AIRCRAFT HE HAS MANY PILOT HOURS IN HELICOPTERS AND OTHER FIXED WING AIRCRAFT.
VERY POSITIVE AND COMPLIANT ATTITUDE.
AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN FLYING VERY LOW WHEN ITS WING PITCHED UP AND IT CRASHED INTO THE WILLOW TREES.
AIRCRAFT WAS BEING WORKED ON AND, APPARENTLY/UNVERIFIED, HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM LOCAL LAKE WHERE ENGINE ADJUSTMENTS HAD JUST BEEN MADE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.