ATL05LA026

On takeoff, the airplane climbed to an altitude of approximately 60 to 90 feet when the engine suddenly lost power. The pilot immediately pushed the nose down, and the airplane descended at a steep descent angle. When the pilot pulled back on the controls to flare the airplane, it did not round out as he expected it should, and it hit the ground hard and traveled approximately 30 or 40 feet and came to a stop. Examination of the wreckage revealed the nosewheel was separated, the tubular metal frame forward of the seats was separated, and both wings were damaged. A witness who arrived at the scene reported a fuel line was found disconnected from the base of the fuel tank, and there was no fuel in the tank and no odor of fuel on the airplane or on the ground. No clamp was observed on the disconnected line. The pilot stated the flight had departed with sufficient fuel in the fuel tank.

On November 18, 2004, about 1800 eastern standard time, an unregistered Golden Circle Air, Inc., T-Bird II experimental airplane, operated by a private owner, collided with the ground following a loss of engine power at a private airstrip in Dunlap, Tennessee. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The private-rated glider pilot and the student glider pilot received serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated about 1725 on November 18, 2004.

The private-rated glider pilot stated he was seated in the right seat, and the student glider pilot was seated in the left seat. He stated the airplane was owned by either the student glider pilot or his son. The private-rated glider pilot stated they were flying around the immediate area of the airstrip and performing takeoffs and landings, and he was controlling the airplane at the time of the accident. The pilot stated he was performing the fourth or fifth takeoff, and the airplane climbed to an altitude of approximately 60 to 90 feet when the engine suddenly quit. The pilot stated there was sufficient airstrip remaining to land, and he immediately pushed the nose down, and the airplane descended at a steep descent angle. As the airplane approached the ground, he pulled back on the controls to flare it, but the airplane did not round out as he expected it should. The airplane hit the ground hard and traveled approximately 30 or 40 feet before it came to a stop.

Examination of the accident site revealed the airplane's nosewheel was separated, the tubular metal frame forward of the side-by-side seats was separated, the seats were resting on the ground, and both wings were damaged. A witness who arrived at the scene immediately after the accident and observed a fuel line was disconnected from the base of the fuel tank, and there was no fuel in the tank and no odor of fuel on the airplane or on the ground. No clamp was observed on the disconnected line. The pilot stated the flight had departed with sufficient fuel in the fuel tank.