What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 7, 2025, the (pilot/privacy data omitted) took off from Hayward Executive Airport (hwd). The pilot lost their engine shortly after takeoff, attempted a 180 degree turn back to the field, and impacted the ground in the vicinity of runway 28R.
Pilot showed up to hwd at 1100 for a recreational flight with friends scheduled for 1200. Prior to flight, the pilot fueled privacy data omitted with 23.8GAL of av gas filling to max capacity, serviced the pneumatic air system (controls landing gear operation, brakes, and engine starting), and performed an engine pull through. After completing the preflight checks, the pilot went back to their car for about 45 minutes to wait for the weather to improve at hwd. At approximately 1220 the pilot fired up privacy data omitted and prepared for departure. After engine start the pilot idled for approximately 10 minutes while setting up their cockpit for flight, including getting ATIS. Once ready, the pilot called for taxi, and once cleared, proceeded to the runup area for 28L where they warmed up the engine at 50% power for 5-7 minutes. Once temperatures for oil and cylinder heads were in the green, the pilot ran the engine at 70% power for approximately 2-3 minutes while performing magneto and propeller pitch checks. Once completed the pilot taxied out to runway 28L and held short for an aircraft landing for about 5 min. Once cleared to enter runway 28L, the pilot taxied onto runway for a lineup-and-wait as directed by tower. Once cleared for takeoff the pilot began takeoff roll. Takeoff roll and rotation were normal; the gear was raised once airborne. About 5 seconds after normal liftoff, at an altitude of 50’ and airspeed of 100 KTS, the engine started to sputter. Pilot stated, they considered setting the aircraft back down straight ahead, but they didn’t have enough runway to come to a safe stop. As the engine was still producing power, though at a reduced rate, the pilot decided to call for return clearance on runway 28R. Just before completing their 180 degree turn back to field the engine stopped. The pilot completed approximately two thirds of the approach turn before total power was lost. Piloted aircraft contacted the ground between the runways and slid onto runway 28R in the north easterly direction. Potential cause is still under investigation.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 7, 2025, THE (PILOT/^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^) TOOK OFF FROM HAYWARD EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (HWD). THE PILOT LOST THEIR ENGINE SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, ATTEMPTED A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO THE FIELD, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN THE VICINITY OF RUNWAY 28R.
PILOT SHOWED UP TO HWD AT 1100 FOR A RECREATIONAL FLIGHT WITH FRIENDS SCHEDULED FOR 1200. PRIOR TO FLIGHT, THE PILOT FUELED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WITH 23.8GAL OF AV GAS FILLING TO MAX CAPACITY, SERVICED THE PNEUMATIC AIR SYSTEM (CONTROLS LANDING GEAR OPERATION, BRAKES, AND ENGINE STARTING), AND PERFORMED AN ENGINE PULL THROUGH. AFTER COMPLETING THE PREFLIGHT CHECKS, THE PILOT WENT BACK TO THEIR CAR FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO WAIT FOR THE WEATHER TO IMPROVE AT HWD. AT APPROXIMATELY 1220 THE PILOT FIRED UP ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND PREPARED FOR DEPARTURE. AFTER ENGINE START THE PILOT IDLED FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES WHILE SETTING UP THEIR COCKPIT FOR FLIGHT, INCLUDING GETTING ATIS. ONCE READY, THE PILOT CALLED FOR TAXI, AND ONCE CLEARED, PROCEEDED TO THE RUNUP AREA FOR 28L WHERE THEY WARMED UP THE ENGINE AT 50% POWER FOR 5-7 MINUTES. ONCE TEMPERATURES FOR OIL AND CYLINDER HEADS WERE IN THE GREEN, THE PILOT RAN THE ENGINE AT 70% POWER FOR APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MINUTES WHILE PERFORMING MAGNETO AND PROPELLER PITCH CHECKS. ONCE COMPLETED THE PILOT TAXIED OUT TO RUNWAY 28L AND HELD SHORT FOR AN AIRCRAFT LANDING FOR ABOUT 5 MIN. ONCE CLEARED TO ENTER RUNWAY 28L, THE PILOT TAXIED ONTO RUNWAY FOR A LINEUP-AND-WAIT AS DIRECTED BY TOWER. ONCE CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF THE PILOT BEGAN TAKEOFF ROLL. TAKEOFF ROLL AND ROTATION WERE NORMAL; THE GEAR WAS RAISED ONCE AIRBORNE. ABOUT 5 SECONDS AFTER NORMAL LIFTOFF, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 50’ AND AIRSPEED OF 100 KTS, THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER. PILOT STATED, THEY CONSIDERED SETTING THE AIRCRAFT BACK DOWN STRAIGHT AHEAD, BUT THEY DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH RUNWAY TO COME TO A SAFE STOP. AS THE ENGINE WAS STILL PRODUCING POWER, THOUGH AT A REDUCED RATE, THE PILOT DECIDED TO CALL FOR RETURN CLEARANCE ON RUNWAY 28R. JUST BEFORE COMPLETING THEIR 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO FIELD THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE PILOT COMPLETED APPROXIMATELY TWO THIRDS OF THE APPROACH TURN BEFORE TOTAL POWER WAS LOST. PILOTED AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND BETWEEN THE RUNWAYS AND SLID ONTO RUNWAY 28R IN THE NORTH EASTERLY DIRECTION. POTENTIAL CAUSE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.