What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Airman was performing a personal flight from his home base at montgomery field (kmyf), san diego, CA enroute to chandler (kchd), AZ with a stop at the Sedona (ksez), AZ. Before continuing the second leg of the flight, the airman checked the fuel in the tanks to verify sufficient fuel for the flight. The airman performed the run-up checks and taxied for take-off at runway 21. Shortly after take-off, the airman stated that the engine suddenly lost power but continued to run. The aircraft was unable to climb any further. At approximately 1.5 miles from the departure end of runway 21, the pilot decided that continued flight was not practical and elected to use the ballistic recovery system. The aircraft landed upright in rough terrain causing punctures in the wing structure. The pilot and passenger exited the aircraft without injury.
The post crash investigation conducted by the NTSB found that a coupling of the air induction system had become unfastened resulting in a loss of the boosted intake air. This created a significant loss of power. The pilot decided to employ the ballistic recovery system.
As the FAA filed it
AIRMAN WAS PERFORMING A PERSONAL FLIGHT FROM HIS HOME BASE AT MONTGOMERY FIELD (KMYF), SAN DIEGO, CA ENROUTE TO CHANDLER (KCHD), AZ WITH A STOP AT THE SEDONA (KSEZ), AZ. BEFORE CONTINUING THE SECOND LEG OF THE FLIGHT, THE AIRMAN CHECKED THE FUEL IN THE TANKS TO VERIFY SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT. THE AIRMAN PERFORMED THE RUN-UP CHECKS AND TAXIED FOR TAKE-OFF AT RUNWAY 21. SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF, THE AIRMAN STATED THAT THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER BUT CONTINUED TO RUN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB ANY FURTHER. AT APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 21, THE PILOT DECIDED THAT CONTINUED FLIGHT WAS NOT PRACTICAL AND ELECTED TO USE THE BALLISTIC RECOVERY SYSTEM. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED UPRIGHT IN ROUGH TERRAIN CAUSING PUNCTURES IN THE WING STRUCTURE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY.
THE POST CRASH INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY THE NTSB FOUND THAT A COUPLING OF THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM HAD BECOME UNFASTENED RESULTING IN A LOSS OF THE BOOSTED INTAKE AIR. THIS CREATED A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT DECIDED TO EMPLOY THE BALLISTIC RECOVERY SYSTEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.