What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft had not been flown in the last five years and had just come out of a condition inspection. Pilot had never flown the aircraft and this was his first flight. Pilot took off from the grass runway 15 down hill with the fuel selector valve feeding off the left tank of 15 gallons. Right tank had 5 gallons total according to the mechanic. At approximately a few hundered feet in the climb, the engine sputtered quickly twice according to the pilot, and then totally quiting instantly. Pilot made a 180 degree turn back to the runway. Aircraft lost speed near the ground causing it to land flat at a high rate of descent striking the ground and bending the gear back. Left wing made contact after with the ground, causing the aircraft to swing/turn 180 degrees in the opposite direction, and coming to a stop. Pilot has no recollection of any other information after flaring and striking the ground.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND HAD JUST COME OUT OF A CONDITION INSPECTION. PILOT HAD NEVER FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT AND THIS WAS HIS FIRST FLIGHT. PILOT TOOK OFF FROM THE GRASS RUNWAY 15 DOWN HILL WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE FEEDING OFF THE LEFT TANK OF 15 GALLONS. RIGHT TANK HAD 5 GALLONS TOTAL ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC. AT APPROXIMATELY A FEW HUNDERED FEET IN THE CLIMB, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED QUICKLY TWICE ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AND THEN TOTALLY QUITING INSTANTLY. PILOT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT LOST SPEED NEAR THE GROUND CAUSING IT TO LAND FLAT AT A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT STRIKING THE GROUND AND BENDING THE GEAR BACK. LEFT WING MADE CONTACT AFTER WITH THE GROUND, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SWING/TURN 180 DEGREES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND COMING TO A STOP. PILOT HAS NO RECOLLECTION OF ANY OTHER INFORMATION AFTER FLARING AND STRIKING THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.