What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The plane, which hadn't flown in several months, launched from runway 15 on his first takeoff, flew the traffic pattern, and was making his first landing. The pilot said that the plane descended unexpectedly and rapidly, striking nose-first, which caused the nose wheel and axle to depart the nose strut (which remained intact), and one propeller blade to be damaged while the other snapped at its root and departed. A taxiway exit was nearby and he was able to guide the plane off the runway. Post crash fire resulted in substantial damage. Complicating the accident was that, during post accendent inspection, FAA inspectors noted that the aircraft id not have a current condition inspection. Also, it was noted that the push-pull rod on the elevator trim tab was snapped, though the pilot could not say if it was before or after the accident, due to inadequate preflight. Investiation showed the fire was a result of the carborators not secure allowing fuel to spray inside the cowlings after the impact which caused the post accident fire.
As the FAA filed it
THE PLANE, WHICH HADN'T FLOWN IN SEVERAL MONTHS, LAUNCHED FROM RUNWAY 15 ON HIS FIRST TAKEOFF, FLEW THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, AND WAS MAKING HIS FIRST LANDING. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE PLANE DESCENDED UNEXPECTEDLY AND RAPIDLY, STRIKING NOSE-FIRST, WHICH CAUSED THE NOSE WHEEL AND AXLE TO DEPART THE NOSE STRUT (WHICH REMAINED INTACT), AND ONE PROPELLER BLADE TO BE DAMAGED WHILE THE OTHER SNAPPED AT ITS ROOT AND DEPARTED. A TAXIWAY EXIT WAS NEARBY AND HE WAS ABLE TO GUIDE THE PLANE OFF THE RUNWAY. POST CRASH FIRE RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. COMPLICATING THE ACCIDENT WAS THAT, DURING POST ACCENDENT INSPECTION, FAA INSPECTORS NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ID NOT HAVE A CURRENT CONDITION INSPECTION. ALSO, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE PUSH-PULL ROD ON THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB WAS SNAPPED, THOUGH THE PILOT COULD NOT SAY IF IT WAS BEFORE OR AFTER THE ACCIDENT, DUE TO INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT. INVESTIATION SHOWED THE FIRE WAS A RESULT OF THE CARBORATORS NOT SECURE ALLOWING FUEL TO SPRAY INSIDE THE COWLINGS AFTER THE IMPACT WHICH CAUSED THE POST ACCIDENT FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.