What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 7, 2021, the above aircraft was departing on runway 30 at Porterville municipal airport at approximately 1420 local time. According to witness statements, during the takeoff roll and climb out, the engine was making popping sounds. Shortly after takeoff, at approximately 250 feet AGL, witnesses stated that the engine quit. At the time the engine quit, the aircraft was in a gradual left turn departing the runway area. When the engine quit, the PIC performed a hard right turn in an attempt to return to the runway. Prior to completing the turn, the airspeed dropped and the aircraft became unstable. Witnesses stated that they could see the control surfaces of the aircraft moving rapidly, indicating that the pilot was trying to gain control of the aircraft. The aircraft rolled wings level for a brief moment before entering a steep dive and rolling to the left. The aircraft impacted the ground approximately 200 feet off the departure end of the runway, within the airport boundaries. Its left wing and prop hitting near simultaneously at close to a 75 degree angle. The aircraft skipped once and landed approximately 40 feet from the initial impact point in an upright position. The aircraft burst into flames just after the initial impact. The pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was fatally injured.
Airport surveillance video confirmed witness statements but without audio.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 7, 2021, THE ABOVE AIRCRAFT WAS DEPARTING ON RUNWAY 30 AT PORTERVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1420 LOCAL TIME. ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATEMENTS, DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND CLIMB OUT, THE ENGINE WAS MAKING POPPING SOUNDS. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET AGL, WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT. AT THE TIME THE ENGINE QUIT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A GRADUAL LEFT TURN DEPARTING THE RUNWAY AREA. WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT, THE PIC PERFORMED A HARD RIGHT TURN IN AN ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. PRIOR TO COMPLETING THE TURN, THE AIRSPEED DROPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT BECAME UNSTABLE. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY COULD SEE THE CONTROL SURFACES OF THE AIRCRAFT MOVING RAPIDLY, INDICATING THAT THE PILOT WAS TRYING TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED WINGS LEVEL FOR A BRIEF MOMENT BEFORE ENTERING A STEEP DIVE AND ROLLING TO THE LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, WITHIN THE AIRPORT BOUNDARIES. ITS LEFT WING AND PROP HITTING NEAR SIMULTANEOUSLY AT CLOSE TO A 75 DEGREE ANGLE. THE AIRCRAFT SKIPPED ONCE AND LANDED APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT BURST INTO FLAMES JUST AFTER THE INITIAL IMPACT. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, WAS FATALLY INJURED.
AIRPORT SURVEILLANCE VIDEO CONFIRMED WITNESS STATEMENTS BUT WITHOUT AUDIO.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.