What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 20, 2026, the PIC departed from bjc and upon takeoff rotation he experienced a loss of power. The aircraft lost engine power and PIC attempted to make a turn back to bjc and landed short of runway 12R. Upon landing he fractured the nose landing gear strut. PIC stated that he experienced vapor lock and the engine was running rough and didn't provide consistent power for sustained flight. Airmen was counseled on potentially performing fuel contamination checks and we discussed bench testing the fuel system and looking to relocate the fuel system lower on the aircraft engine to regulate the temperature better.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 20, 2026, THE PIC DEPARTED FROM BJC AND UPON TAKEOFF ROTATION HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE AIRCRAFT LOST ENGINE POWER AND PIC ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN BACK TO BJC AND LANDED SHORT OF RUNWAY 12R. UPON LANDING HE FRACTURED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STRUT. PIC STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED VAPOR LOCK AND THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND DIDN'T PROVIDE CONSISTENT POWER FOR SUSTAINED FLIGHT. AIRMEN WAS COUNSELED ON POTENTIALLY PERFORMING FUEL CONTAMINATION CHECKS AND WE DISCUSSED BENCH TESTING THE FUEL SYSTEM AND LOOKING TO RELOCATE THE FUEL SYSTEM LOWER ON THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE TO REGULATE THE TEMPERATURE BETTER.