What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was conducting a normal takeoff when he realized the plane was not generating the normal amount of power. The aircraft became airborne, but was unable to clear the trees at the end of the runway. It was later discovered that a spark plug lead had detached from its spark plug. Weather conditions at the time also created a high probability of carburetor ice at low RPM settings.
The pilot exercised his right to not participate in the investigation beyond providing an initial statement. When investigators arrived on scene, the pilot said that all of the maintenance records, the airworthiness certificate, and registration certificate had been stolen out of the plane after the accident. He would not identify who had performed the last condition inspection. Inspectors also observed that the registration number had been cut off the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A NORMAL TAKEOFF WHEN HE REALIZED THE PLANE WAS NOT GENERATING THE NORMAL AMOUNT OF POWER. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT A SPARK PLUG LEAD HAD DETACHED FROM ITS SPARK PLUG. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME ALSO CREATED A HIGH PROBABILITY OF CARBURETOR ICE AT LOW RPM SETTINGS.
THE PILOT EXERCISED HIS RIGHT TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE INVESTIGATION BEYOND PROVIDING AN INITIAL STATEMENT. WHEN INVESTIGATORS ARRIVED ON SCENE, THE PILOT SAID THAT ALL OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS, THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE, AND REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE HAD BEEN STOLEN OUT OF THE PLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE WOULD NOT IDENTIFY WHO HAD PERFORMED THE LAST CONDITION INSPECTION. INSPECTORS ALSO OBSERVED THAT THE REGISTRATION NUMBER HAD BEEN CUT OFF THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.