What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot took off with a passenger for a short flight to where she planned to refuel. On takeoff climb and just past the runway, the engine started to sputter and run poorly. In a turn back to the airport the aircraft lost power. The pilot opted to put the aircraft down in the corn field below. With the propeller windmilling, she landed the aircraft in the tall corn, stopping abruptly. The pilot walked to a road where a motorist called for first responders. Both pilot and passenger were treated for moderate injuries and released from the hospital within days.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT TOOK OFF WITH A PASSENGER FOR A SHORT FLIGHT TO WHERE SHE PLANNED TO REFUEL. ON TAKEOFF CLIMB AND JUST PAST THE RUNWAY, THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER AND RUN POORLY. IN A TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER. THE PILOT OPTED TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN IN THE CORN FIELD BELOW. WITH THE PROPELLER WINDMILLING, SHE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN THE TALL CORN, STOPPING ABRUPTLY. THE PILOT WALKED TO A ROAD WHERE A MOTORIST CALLED FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE TREATED FOR MODERATE INJURIES AND RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL WITHIN DAYS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.