What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft departed runway 14 when temperature was 43C/109F, barometric pressure was 28.75 and a field elevation of 780FT. The pilot had just fueled the aircraft prior to flight. A witness, who is a pilot, was interviewed and said that he observed through a window the aircraft after rotation and that to his judgement it appeared to be at approximately 75 feet AGL and in a nose-high attitude at a slower than normal speed and was not climbing. His view was then obstructed and he repositioned himself outside and then observed that the aircraft had gained altitude to what he estimated to be 100-150 feet AGL and was past the runway overrun. The witness saw the pilot attempt what he called a ?keyhole? Slight right then left hand turn to return to the airfield. It was during the left turn that the witness saw the nose dip down during the turn and lose altitude. Surveillance video from local FBO was viewed which showed the aircraft apparently beyond the runway threshold in which the aircraft appeared to be at an altitude of 100-150 feet AGL as estimated by the witness, and flying in a normal attitude. The aircraft then turned to the right and then to the left. During the turn to the left, the nose appeared to rise a little and then drop suddenly.
Ground scars indicate the aircraft?s left wing tip impacted the ground first follwed by the propeller which cartwheeled the aircraft. Approximately 80% of the aircraft and all instrumentation was consumed by fire at its final upright resting location approximately 1225 feet from the end of runway and approximately 300 feet east/northeast of the runway centerline. Examination of the wreckage confirmed flight control continuity was intact and scarring/deformation of the propeller indicated the aircraft was under power upon impact.
Engine teardown revealed the following; magnetos were unable to be tested due to fire damage. Cylinder #1 and #4 had one broken top piston ring. Surface corrosion was found on several internal components. Multiple valve lifter faces showed evidence of spalling and the corresponding cam lobes showed apparent wear. These conditions would have a negative effect the engine?s ability to produce power, the degree to which is unknown.
Engine logbook showed a factory remanufactured engine installed in 1998. Camshaft and lifters were replaced in 2004. On July 16, 2021, 25.7 hours prior to the accident, annual inspection was performed
No corrective action because pilot is deceased and though Lycoming recommends overhaul interval of twelve (12) calendar years to mitigate engine deterioration that occurs with age, including corrosion of metallic components, this is not mandatory under part 91.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 14 WHEN TEMPERATURE WAS 43C/109F, BAROMETRIC PRESSURE WAS 28.75 AND A FIELD ELEVATION OF 780FT. THE PILOT HAD JUST FUELED THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO FLIGHT. A WITNESS, WHO IS A PILOT, WAS INTERVIEWED AND SAID THAT HE OBSERVED THROUGH A WINDOW THE AIRCRAFT AFTER ROTATION AND THAT TO HIS JUDGEMENT IT APPEARED TO BE AT APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET AGL AND IN A NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE AT A SLOWER THAN NORMAL SPEED AND WAS NOT CLIMBING. HIS VIEW WAS THEN OBSTRUCTED AND HE REPOSITIONED HIMSELF OUTSIDE AND THEN OBSERVED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD GAINED ALTITUDE TO WHAT HE ESTIMATED TO BE 100-150 FEET AGL AND WAS PAST THE RUNWAY OVERRUN. THE WITNESS SAW THE PILOT ATTEMPT WHAT HE CALLED A ?KEYHOLE? SLIGHT RIGHT THEN LEFT HAND TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRFIELD. IT WAS DURING THE LEFT TURN THAT THE WITNESS SAW THE NOSE DIP DOWN DURING THE TURN AND LOSE ALTITUDE. SURVEILLANCE VIDEO FROM LOCAL FBO WAS VIEWED WHICH SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT APPARENTLY BEYOND THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD IN WHICH THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE AT AN ALTITUDE OF 100-150 FEET AGL AS ESTIMATED BY THE WITNESS, AND FLYING IN A NORMAL ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND THEN TO THE LEFT. DURING THE TURN TO THE LEFT, THE NOSE APPEARED TO RISE A LITTLE AND THEN DROP SUDDENLY.
GROUND SCARS INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT?S LEFT WING TIP IMPACTED THE GROUND FIRST FOLLWED BY THE PROPELLER WHICH CARTWHEELED THE AIRCRAFT. APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ALL INSTRUMENTATION WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE AT ITS FINAL UPRIGHT RESTING LOCATION APPROXIMATELY 1225 FEET FROM THE END OF RUNWAY AND APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET EAST/NORTHEAST OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE CONFIRMED FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS INTACT AND SCARRING/DEFORMATION OF THE PROPELLER INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNDER POWER UPON IMPACT.
ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED THE FOLLOWING; MAGNETOS WERE UNABLE TO BE TESTED DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE. CYLINDER #1 AND #4 HAD ONE BROKEN TOP PISTON RING. SURFACE CORROSION WAS FOUND ON SEVERAL INTERNAL COMPONENTS. MULTIPLE VALVE LIFTER FACES SHOWED EVIDENCE OF SPALLING AND THE CORRESPONDING CAM LOBES SHOWED APPARENT WEAR. THESE CONDITIONS WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT THE ENGINE?S ABILITY TO PRODUCE POWER, THE DEGREE TO WHICH IS UNKNOWN.
ENGINE LOGBOOK SHOWED A FACTORY REMANUFACTURED ENGINE INSTALLED IN 1998. CAMSHAFT AND LIFTERS WERE REPLACED IN 2004. ON JULY 16, 2021, 25.7 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED
NO CORRECTIVE ACTION BECAUSE PILOT IS DECEASED AND THOUGH LYCOMING RECOMMENDS OVERHAUL INTERVAL OF TWELVE (12) CALENDAR YEARS TO MITIGATE ENGINE DETERIORATION THAT OCCURS WITH AGE, INCLUDING CORROSION OF METALLIC COMPONENTS, THIS IS NOT MANDATORY UNDER PART 91.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.