Tree collision following engine power loss during takeoff (N84220)

What happened

The flight was in the initial climb phase after takeoff when the engine experienced a sudden loss of power. The incident occurred at an altitude of approximately 100 feet above the ground. Upon detecting the failure, the pilot attempted to restore engine function by manually pumping the throttle control. This action allowed for the recovery of some power, but it was insufficient to prevent impact with nearby trees. The aircraft subsequently crashed and came to rest on the ground.

The investigation

Post-accident examination of the airframe revealed that the mixture control cable had separated from its attachment point by approximately one inch. Inspection of the engine controls confirmed that the mixture lever was positioned in the idle cut-off setting at the time of the event. No other mechanical anomalies were identified that would have contributed to the power loss.

Findings

The primary factor leading to the accident was the unplanned separation of the mixture control cable from its attachment end. This mechanical failure resulted in the engine mixture being set to idle cut-off, causing a complete loss of thrust during a critical phase of flight near the ground.