What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While departing runway 29 from Chester County G O Carlson Airport (kmqs) on February 1, 2024 at 1:30 pm, the instrument-rated pilot of privacy data omitted, a Grumman American aviation corporation GA-7, was observed conducting a normal takeoff and climb before witnesses heard a loud pop and sputtering sound from the aircraft and subsequent loss of altitude before the aircraft made a descending right turn, entering a stall/spin, and impacting the ground approximately two miles northwest of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and fatal injury sustained by the pilot who was found ejected twenty feet from the aircraft.
Airport surveillance video showed the pilot failed to perform a complete preflight inspection and did not sump the fuel system after receiving fuel service and prior to engine startup.
Post-accident investigation of the aircraft found visible water and debris throughout the fuel system, including the right engine fuel pump and carburetor bowl. Inspection of the right-wing fuel cap indicated that the rubber o-ring was missing.
This report may be amended if further information is received.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE DEPARTING RUNWAY 29 FROM CHESTER COUNTY G O CARLSON AIRPORT (KMQS) ON FEBRUARY 1, 2024 AT 1:30 PM, THE INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVIATION CORPORATION GA-7, WAS OBSERVED CONDUCTING A NORMAL TAKEOFF AND CLIMB BEFORE WITNESSES HEARD A LOUD POP AND SPUTTERING SOUND FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ALTITUDE BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT MADE A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN, ENTERING A STALL/SPIN, AND IMPACTING THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND FATAL INJURY SUSTAINED BY THE PILOT WHO WAS FOUND EJECTED TWENTY FEET FROM THE AIRCRAFT.
AIRPORT SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWED THE PILOT FAILED TO PERFORM A COMPLETE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND DID NOT SUMP THE FUEL SYSTEM AFTER RECEIVING FUEL SERVICE AND PRIOR TO ENGINE STARTUP.
POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND VISIBLE WATER AND DEBRIS THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE RIGHT ENGINE FUEL PUMP AND CARBURETOR BOWL. INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT-WING FUEL CAP INDICATED THAT THE RUBBER O-RING WAS MISSING.
THIS REPORT MAY BE AMENDED IF FURTHER INFORMATION IS RECEIVED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.