What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 30, 2021 at approximately 0945 central daylight time, a Piper J4A airplane was substantially damage due to impact with terrain shortly after takeoff at the North Omaha, Nebraska airport (3NO). The pilot planned to depart from 3NO to conduct flight operations within the airport traffic pattern.
During the preflight, the pilot reported filling the main fuel tank to the top and the auxiliary fuel tank had four gallons of fuel inside. The airplane was fueled from a 55-gallon drum, which had been filled from 5-gallon gas cans that were filled from the airport?s main fuel source. The pilot stated that he sumped the forward and aft fuel tanks during his preflight checks. Before takeoff the fuel selector was positioned for the main fuel tank, and conducted the pre-takeoff checks and everything check normal. The pilot back taxied runway 17 for takeoff, and proceeded to take off with a full throttle power setting. During takeoff, the airplane traveled about three quarters down the runway and climbed out to approximately 300FT above ground level. The engine sputtered and stopped producing power. The pilot switched the fuel tank selector to the auxiliary tank while making a left turn back towards the runway and unsuccessfully tried to restart the engine.
The pilot maneuvered the airplane for an emergency landing, and the airplanes left wing made initial contact with the concrete apron on the east side of the airport next to a row of hangars. The aircraft continued in a northeasterly direction across the grass and came to a rest facing southwest while up against a barbed wire fence and tree on the edge of the airport property. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, engine, and propeller. The pilot reported that fuel was pouring in the cockpit after the airplane came to a rest, and was able to evacuate without assistance.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 30, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 0945 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER J4A AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGE DUE TO IMPACT WITH TERRAIN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT THE NORTH OMAHA, NEBRASKA AIRPORT (3NO). THE PILOT PLANNED TO DEPART FROM 3NO TO CONDUCT FLIGHT OPERATIONS WITHIN THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN.
DURING THE PREFLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED FILLING THE MAIN FUEL TANK TO THE TOP AND THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANK HAD FOUR GALLONS OF FUEL INSIDE. THE AIRPLANE WAS FUELED FROM A 55-GALLON DRUM, WHICH HAD BEEN FILLED FROM 5-GALLON GAS CANS THAT WERE FILLED FROM THE AIRPORT?S MAIN FUEL SOURCE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SUMPED THE FORWARD AND AFT FUEL TANKS DURING HIS PREFLIGHT CHECKS. BEFORE TAKEOFF THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED FOR THE MAIN FUEL TANK, AND CONDUCTED THE PRE-TAKEOFF CHECKS AND EVERYTHING CHECK NORMAL. THE PILOT BACK TAXIED RUNWAY 17 FOR TAKEOFF, AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF WITH A FULL THROTTLE POWER SETTING. DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED ABOUT THREE QUARTERS DOWN THE RUNWAY AND CLIMBED OUT TO APPROXIMATELY 300FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. THE PILOT SWITCHED THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR TO THE AUXILIARY TANK WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN BACK TOWARDS THE RUNWAY AND UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE.
THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING, AND THE AIRPLANES LEFT WING MADE INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE CONCRETE APRON ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT NEXT TO A ROW OF HANGARS. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED IN A NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION ACROSS THE GRASS AND CAME TO A REST FACING SOUTHWEST WHILE UP AGAINST A BARBED WIRE FENCE AND TREE ON THE EDGE OF THE AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS, FUSELAGE, ENGINE, AND PROPELLER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT FUEL WAS POURING IN THE COCKPIT AFTER THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A REST, AND WAS ABLE TO EVACUATE WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.