What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Event description:
During a warmup flight, the aircraft experienced an unexpected engine failure shortly after takeoff. The pilot initiated a return to the departure airport but was unable to reach the runway, necessitating an emergency landing in a cornfield.
Landing details:
Aircraft touched down and rolled approximately 50–75 feet before spinning to the right.
Left main landing gear collapsed upon or shortly after touchdown.
The engine and propeller contacted the ground during or following the collapse.
The propeller damage and absence of ground scarring are consistent with the propeller not rotating at the time of impact (I.e., the engine was not producing power).
Aircraft structural damage:
The top wing sheared from its mounts, shifting forward during impact and making contact with the nose of the aircraft, just before the engine.
Engine inspection:
A visual inspection of the engine at the accident site revealed no immediate evidence of mechanical failure or the specific cause of the engine stoppage.
As the FAA filed it
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
DURING A WARMUP FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPECTED ENGINE FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT INITIATED A RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE RUNWAY, NECESSITATING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A CORNFIELD.
LANDING DETAILS:
AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 50–75 FEET BEFORE SPINNING TO THE RIGHT.
LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED UPON OR SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN.
THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER CONTACTED THE GROUND DURING OR FOLLOWING THE COLLAPSE.
THE PROPELLER DAMAGE AND ABSENCE OF GROUND SCARRING ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE PROPELLER NOT ROTATING AT THE TIME OF IMPACT (I.E., THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING POWER).
AIRCRAFT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE:
THE TOP WING SHEARED FROM ITS MOUNTS, SHIFTING FORWARD DURING IMPACT AND MAKING CONTACT WITH THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT, JUST BEFORE THE ENGINE.
ENGINE INSPECTION:
A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED NO IMMEDIATE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE ENGINE STOPPAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N5416 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.