What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot sumped both tanks prior to flight and noted approximately six gallons in each wing. Engine was warmed for ten minutes prior to taxi and operation was normal. Magneto and carburetor heat checks were normal. Pilot verified right tank was selected prior to departure. At approximately 300 AGL on initial climb out engine RPM dropped from 2400 to 15OO multiple times. Pilot reverified tank selection and levelled the airplane. The engine quit and the pilot turned to the left to attempt to make if back to the runway as there were multiple birch trees directly ahead at the end of the runway. Aircraft touched down short of the runwat in a snow-covered area. Aircraft stayed on top of the snow for approximately 40 yards before the tires broke through the snow and the aircraft flipped onto it's back causing substantial damage to the wings and wing struts. Pilot exited the aircraft then turned off fuel and master switches.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT SUMPED BOTH TANKS PRIOR TO FLIGHT AND NOTED APPROXIMATELY SIX GALLONS IN EACH WING. ENGINE WAS WARMED FOR TEN MINUTES PRIOR TO TAXI AND OPERATION WAS NORMAL. MAGNETO AND CARBURETOR HEAT CHECKS WERE NORMAL. PILOT VERIFIED RIGHT TANK WAS SELECTED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. AT APPROXIMATELY 300 AGL ON INITIAL CLIMB OUT ENGINE RPM DROPPED FROM 2400 TO 15OO MULTIPLE TIMES. PILOT REVERIFIED TANK SELECTION AND LEVELLED THE AIRPLANE. THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PILOT TURNED TO THE LEFT TO ATTEMPT TO MAKE IF BACK TO THE RUNWAY AS THERE WERE MULTIPLE BIRCH TREES DIRECTLY AHEAD AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RUNWAT IN A SNOW-COVERED AREA. AIRCRAFT STAYED ON TOP OF THE SNOW FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 YARDS BEFORE THE TIRES BROKE THROUGH THE SNOW AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED ONTO IT'S BACK CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS AND WING STRUTS. PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT THEN TURNED OFF FUEL AND MASTER SWITCHES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.