What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated that the aircraft reached approximately 50 feet of altitude on take off and the engine quit. Pilot immediately returned the aircraft to the runway. As aircraft was approaching the end of the runway, the pilot chose to steer the aircraft into a stand of alder trees that line the runway in an attempt to stop the aircraft, as there is a river just past the end of the runway. Aircraft spun after the left wing came in contact with the alders and the aircraft came to rest partially entangled in the branches with damage to the left wing tip, right flap, right elevator and landing gear. Subsequent inspection revealed that the fuel selector was partially in between the right tank position and off.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT REACHED APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET OF ALTITUDE ON TAKE OFF AND THE ENGINE QUIT. PILOT IMMEDIATELY RETURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RUNWAY. AS AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT CHOSE TO STEER THE AIRCRAFT INTO A STAND OF ALDER TREES THAT LINE THE RUNWAY IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT, AS THERE IS A RIVER JUST PAST THE END OF THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT SPUN AFTER THE LEFT WING CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE ALDERS AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST PARTIALLY ENTANGLED IN THE BRANCHES WITH DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING TIP, RIGHT FLAP, RIGHT ELEVATOR AND LANDING GEAR. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS PARTIALLY IN BETWEEN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION AND OFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.