What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The accident occurred on may 29, 2020 at approximately 1130CDT at the Humboldt Municipal Airport in Humboldt, TN (M53). The aircraft was a 1960 Piper single engine comanche with registration number N6989P and serial number 24-2132.
The pilot-in-command (PIC) had one passenger on board. The PIC had intentions to depart runway 22 at M53 for a local flight. Shortly after liftoff, the PIC experienced a sudden loss of engine power at approximately 200 feet above the runway surface. Within a few seconds after the initial power loss, the engine regained power for a few additional seconds followed by another power loss. The PIC selected a golf course about 400 yards to the south of the departure end of runway 22 as an emergency landing location.
The aircraft touched down on a fairway 197 yards to the west of where it came to rest. During the rollout the aircraft went through a short wooden fence. The aircraft?s right wing struck a brick fence post supporting a metal fence surrounding the swimming pool at the golf course. Upon impact of the right wing, the aircraft was flung into the metal fence where it came to rest.
A post-accident on-scene investigation revealed that no injuries were sustained by the pilot or passenger. There were no injuries to any bystanders on the ground. Substantial damage was sustained by the aircraft. No post-accident fire occurred.
As the FAA filed it
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON MAY 29, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 1130CDT AT THE HUMBOLDT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IN HUMBOLDT, TN (M53). THE AIRCRAFT WAS A 1960 PIPER SINGLE ENGINE COMANCHE WITH REGISTRATION NUMBER N6989P AND SERIAL NUMBER 24-2132.
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) HAD ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD. THE PIC HAD INTENTIONS TO DEPART RUNWAY 22 AT M53 FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE PIC EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY SURFACE. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS AFTER THE INITIAL POWER LOSS, THE ENGINE REGAINED POWER FOR A FEW ADDITIONAL SECONDS FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER POWER LOSS. THE PIC SELECTED A GOLF COURSE ABOUT 400 YARDS TO THE SOUTH OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 22 AS AN EMERGENCY LANDING LOCATION.
THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON A FAIRWAY 197 YARDS TO THE WEST OF WHERE IT CAME TO REST. DURING THE ROLLOUT THE AIRCRAFT WENT THROUGH A SHORT WOODEN FENCE. THE AIRCRAFT?S RIGHT WING STRUCK A BRICK FENCE POST SUPPORTING A METAL FENCE SURROUNDING THE SWIMMING POOL AT THE GOLF COURSE. UPON IMPACT OF THE RIGHT WING, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLUNG INTO THE METAL FENCE WHERE IT CAME TO REST.
A POST-ACCIDENT ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY THE PILOT OR PASSENGER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO ANY BYSTANDERS ON THE GROUND. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED BY THE AIRCRAFT. NO POST-ACCIDENT FIRE OCCURRED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.