What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 24, 2025, at 1336 local time, an American champion 7AC aircraft, privacy data omitted, registered to and flown by a commercial rated pilot received substantial damage following a loss of engine power on takeoff and subsequent off field landing at Forest Hill Airport (3F5), st. johns, Michigan. VFR meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained no injuries.
In a statement from the pilot, he had been flying to a number of local airports earlier in the day without incident. While departing Forest Hill, the runup was fine and the aircraft produced full power during the take-off roll and initial climb out. At approximately 100 feet AGL, the engine suddenly lost all power. The pilot located a field to his left and slipped the aircraft in. On landing the main landing gear dug into the soft soil and the aircraft subsequently flipped onto its back. The pilot was able to egress from the aircraft unaided. No ELT deployment or post-crash fire was noted.
Inspection of the aircraft shows cowl and propeller crush damage, both wings show leading edge and wing strut damage with twisting. The vertical stabilizer and rudder are both damaged. The windshield was broken, and the fuselage appears slightly twisted.
Investigation found no mechanical issues with the aircraft or engine. There was fuel still onboard and in the fuel sump. Weather at the time of the accident: lan 24/1753, vis 10 miles, ceiling overcast 4500 feet, press 30.2, temp 58, dew 41, RH 53%, wind 290 at 10.
Considering the temperature, dewpoint, and relative humidity at the time of the accident, it is believed the engine experienced carburetor icing with a subsequent loss of power during the climb-out. The pilots lack of carb heat usage may be a contributing factor.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 24, 2025, AT 1336 LOCAL TIME, AN AMERICAN CHAMPION 7AC AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, REGISTERED TO AND FLOWN BY A COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON TAKEOFF AND SUBSEQUENT OFF FIELD LANDING AT FOREST HILL AIRPORT (3F5), ST. JOHNS, MICHIGAN. VFR METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT SUSTAINED NO INJURIES.
IN A STATEMENT FROM THE PILOT, HE HAD BEEN FLYING TO A NUMBER OF LOCAL AIRPORTS EARLIER IN THE DAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHILE DEPARTING FOREST HILL, THE RUNUP WAS FINE AND THE AIRCRAFT PRODUCED FULL POWER DURING THE TAKE-OFF ROLL AND INITIAL CLIMB OUT. AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. THE PILOT LOCATED A FIELD TO HIS LEFT AND SLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT IN. ON LANDING THE MAIN LANDING GEAR DUG INTO THE SOFT SOIL AND THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY FLIPPED ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EGRESS FROM THE AIRCRAFT UNAIDED. NO ELT DEPLOYMENT OR POST-CRASH FIRE WAS NOTED.
INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWS COWL AND PROPELLER CRUSH DAMAGE, BOTH WINGS SHOW LEADING EDGE AND WING STRUT DAMAGE WITH TWISTING. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER ARE BOTH DAMAGED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN, AND THE FUSELAGE APPEARS SLIGHTLY TWISTED.
INVESTIGATION FOUND NO MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE. THERE WAS FUEL STILL ONBOARD AND IN THE FUEL SUMP. WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT: LAN 24/1753, VIS 10 MILES, CEILING OVERCAST 4500 FEET, PRESS 30.2, TEMP 58, DEW 41, RH 53%, WIND 290 AT 10.
CONSIDERING THE TEMPERATURE, DEWPOINT, AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, IT IS BELIEVED THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED CARBURETOR ICING WITH A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF POWER DURING THE CLIMB-OUT. THE PILOTS LACK OF CARB HEAT USAGE MAY BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Other reports on N2659E · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.