What happened
Shortly after departing the airport, the pilot encountered a significant reduction in engine power while climbing to approximately 100 feet above ground level. This mechanical failure left insufficient altitude for continued flight, necessitating an immediate forced landing in a nearby agricultural area. The terrain consisted of soft, wet soil typical of a potato field.
Before reaching the ground, the pilot attempted standard emergency procedures by switching fuel tanks and magnetos to rule out simple operational errors or fuel contamination. However, the power loss remained constant regardless of these adjustments. Upon impact with the uneven ground, the aircraft's momentum caused it to flip over onto its back.
The investigation
Post-accident inspection of the engine revealed a critical maintenance issue. An examination of the ignition system showed that five of the eight spark plugs were heavily lead fouled. Three of these plugs were completely shorted out, preventing any spark generation, while two others sparked intermittently. Notably, two of the malfunctioning plugs were located on the same cylinder, which would have severely compromised combustion efficiency in that specific engine section.
The pilot reported that the pre-takeoff engine run-up and magneto check appeared normal, suggesting the fouling may have developed rapidly or was not fully apparent during the brief ground check.