What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Arrived on scene, issued PIC the compliance philosophy brochure containing the pilot's bill of rights. PIC stated that he'd flown the airplane earlier in the day with no anomolies. He came back in the afternoon with a friend to take as a passenger. The runup, takeoff and downwind was normal until on base he thought he was a little low and tried correcting with power, which was unresponsive. The airplane banked left, then right and back to the left. The airplane came to rest off airport in a field. The pilot and passenger exited the airplane and the airplane was soon engulfed in fire. His passenger received some lacerations and gave a similar statement. The engine was examined by a representative of the manufacturer, FAA airworthiness inspector, and an operations inspector. There was noting noted during the course of this examination with the available accessories examined that would have precluded normal engine operation at the time of the exam.
Met with pilot to review maintenance logbooks and pilot records. The PIC presented his government-issued id, private pilot certificate dated 01/16/2014, and second class medical certificate dated 09/26/2019. Reviewed pilot logbooks and noted last entry was dated 11/11/2020. This corresponded with a flight review endorsement on the same date. When asked if he had received a flight review since November 2020, the PIC stated that he had not. When asked if he performed 3 takeoffs/landings for passenger currency in the last 90 days he stated he had flown multiple times. No evidence of passenger currency was noted in the logbook. When asked if he had possession of a tailwheel endorsement the PIC stated he had trained many years ago in a tailwheel. No evidence of a tailwheel endorsement was found. While reviewing the maintenance records it was noted that the most recent maintenance record entry in the engine and airframe logbook was dated 5/4/2014 for a condition inspection. The PIC stated he had not conducted a condition inspection within the past year. While reviewing the propeller logbook it was noted that the most recent maintenance record entry was dated 6/11/2019 for a condition inspection. When asked if he had any other current pilot or maintenance logbooks he stated that he was not able to locate them.
As the FAA filed it
ARRIVED ON SCENE, ISSUED PIC THE COMPLIANCE PHILOSOPHY BROCHURE CONTAINING THE PILOT'S BILL OF RIGHTS. PIC STATED THAT HE'D FLOWN THE AIRPLANE EARLIER IN THE DAY WITH NO ANOMOLIES. HE CAME BACK IN THE AFTERNOON WITH A FRIEND TO TAKE AS A PASSENGER. THE RUNUP, TAKEOFF AND DOWNWIND WAS NORMAL UNTIL ON BASE HE THOUGHT HE WAS A LITTLE LOW AND TRIED CORRECTING WITH POWER, WHICH WAS UNRESPONSIVE. THE AIRPLANE BANKED LEFT, THEN RIGHT AND BACK TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST OFF AIRPORT IN A FIELD. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRPLANE AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SOON ENGULFED IN FIRE. HIS PASSENGER RECEIVED SOME LACERATIONS AND GAVE A SIMILAR STATEMENT. THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MANUFACTURER, FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR, AND AN OPERATIONS INSPECTOR. THERE WAS NOTING NOTED DURING THE COURSE OF THIS EXAMINATION WITH THE AVAILABLE ACCESSORIES EXAMINED THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL ENGINE OPERATION AT THE TIME OF THE EXAM.
MET WITH PILOT TO REVIEW MAINTENANCE LOGBOOKS AND PILOT RECORDS. THE PIC PRESENTED HIS GOVERNMENT-ISSUED ID, PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE DATED 01/16/2014, AND SECOND CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE DATED 09/26/2019. REVIEWED PILOT LOGBOOKS AND NOTED LAST ENTRY WAS DATED 11/11/2020. THIS CORRESPONDED WITH A FLIGHT REVIEW ENDORSEMENT ON THE SAME DATE. WHEN ASKED IF HE HAD RECEIVED A FLIGHT REVIEW SINCE NOVEMBER 2020, THE PIC STATED THAT HE HAD NOT. WHEN ASKED IF HE PERFORMED 3 TAKEOFFS/LANDINGS FOR PASSENGER CURRENCY IN THE LAST 90 DAYS HE STATED HE HAD FLOWN MULTIPLE TIMES. NO EVIDENCE OF PASSENGER CURRENCY WAS NOTED IN THE LOGBOOK. WHEN ASKED IF HE HAD POSSESSION OF A TAILWHEEL ENDORSEMENT THE PIC STATED HE HAD TRAINED MANY YEARS AGO IN A TAILWHEEL. NO EVIDENCE OF A TAILWHEEL ENDORSEMENT WAS FOUND. WHILE REVIEWING THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS IT WAS NOTED THAT THE MOST RECENT MAINTENANCE RECORD ENTRY IN THE ENGINE AND AIRFRAME LOGBOOK WAS DATED 5/4/2014 FOR A CONDITION INSPECTION. THE PIC STATED HE HAD NOT CONDUCTED A CONDITION INSPECTION WITHIN THE PAST YEAR. WHILE REVIEWING THE PROPELLER LOGBOOK IT WAS NOTED THAT THE MOST RECENT MAINTENANCE RECORD ENTRY WAS DATED 6/11/2019 FOR A CONDITION INSPECTION. WHEN ASKED IF HE HAD ANY OTHER CURRENT PILOT OR MAINTENANCE LOGBOOKS HE STATED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO LOCATE THEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.