What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot delayed 2 hours following a frontal system passing through the area. Load out of the aircraft was approx. 3/4 fuel and 155 gal of applicant. The pilot has flown with this load many times, and has flown with loads of up to 180 gal, with no issues. AWOS stated clear, calm and 70 degrees.
During runup the pilot noticed black smoke come out of the exhaust during propeller cycling. Reset and re-attempted runup, no issues, everything normal. Pilot took off to the north with 10 deg of flaps, normal acceleration and rotation, lifted off at 80 knots and stayed in ground effect until 93 KTS. After retracting flaps and passing 100' he noted he was above the hill to the west and began his left turn.
During his turn he noticed he stopped climbing and his airspeed began to decrease. He checked mixture, throttle, propellor, and everything was full forward. The engine instruments checked normal with full power being produced.
He continued straight ahead and decided not to jettison his load, as he was near stalling airspeed, he was concerned the nose up pitch may cause him to stall the aircraft in close proximity to the ground. He felt the aircraft settle and his airspeed continued to decrease. He continued his slow descend and put the aircraft in a pasture straight ahead. Just prior to impact, he felt the right wing drop, as if in a stall, after stopping, he turned off all electrical switched and exited the aircraft.
He had no injuries, there was no post crash fire. Aircraft remained upright, and spun nearly 180 degrees from field entry heading. Landing gear was ripped from the aircraft, the prop had significant damage, as it was producing power during the impact.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT DELAYED 2 HOURS FOLLOWING A FRONTAL SYSTEM PASSING THROUGH THE AREA. LOAD OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROX. 3/4 FUEL AND 155 GAL OF APPLICANT. THE PILOT HAS FLOWN WITH THIS LOAD MANY TIMES, AND HAS FLOWN WITH LOADS OF UP TO 180 GAL, WITH NO ISSUES. AWOS STATED CLEAR, CALM AND 70 DEGREES.
DURING RUNUP THE PILOT NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COME OUT OF THE EXHAUST DURING PROPELLER CYCLING. RESET AND RE-ATTEMPTED RUNUP, NO ISSUES, EVERYTHING NORMAL. PILOT TOOK OFF TO THE NORTH WITH 10 DEG OF FLAPS, NORMAL ACCELERATION AND ROTATION, LIFTED OFF AT 80 KNOTS AND STAYED IN GROUND EFFECT UNTIL 93 KTS. AFTER RETRACTING FLAPS AND PASSING 100' HE NOTED HE WAS ABOVE THE HILL TO THE WEST AND BEGAN HIS LEFT TURN.
DURING HIS TURN HE NOTICED HE STOPPED CLIMBING AND HIS AIRSPEED BEGAN TO DECREASE. HE CHECKED MIXTURE, THROTTLE, PROPELLOR, AND EVERYTHING WAS FULL FORWARD. THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTS CHECKED NORMAL WITH FULL POWER BEING PRODUCED.
HE CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD AND DECIDED NOT TO JETTISON HIS LOAD, AS HE WAS NEAR STALLING AIRSPEED, HE WAS CONCERNED THE NOSE UP PITCH MAY CAUSE HIM TO STALL THE AIRCRAFT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE GROUND. HE FELT THE AIRCRAFT SETTLE AND HIS AIRSPEED CONTINUED TO DECREASE. HE CONTINUED HIS SLOW DESCEND AND PUT THE AIRCRAFT IN A PASTURE STRAIGHT AHEAD. JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT, HE FELT THE RIGHT WING DROP, AS IF IN A STALL, AFTER STOPPING, HE TURNED OFF ALL ELECTRICAL SWITCHED AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT.
HE HAD NO INJURIES, THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. AIRCRAFT REMAINED UPRIGHT, AND SPUN NEARLY 180 DEGREES FROM FIELD ENTRY HEADING. LANDING GEAR WAS RIPPED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, THE PROP HAD SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, AS IT WAS PRODUCING POWER DURING THE IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.