Incident
On the day of the accident, the pilot landed at Carrollton, Ohio for refueling and breakfast. After refueling, he taxied out for departure from runway 25, intending to fly back to his home base. The runup was reportedly normal. After applying maximum power, he began his takeoff roll and noted a slightly higher than usual fuel pressure/flow. At about 40 mph, he experienced a loss of power to the left engine, causing the airplane to swerve to the left.
Attempted Takeoff
The pilot attempted to become airborne but failed. The airplane left the runway to the left and continued down an embankment before coming to a stop. There was no fire, and the pilot received minor injuries. At the time of the accident, the wind was from the south at 10–12 knots.
Examination and Findings
Post-accident examination of the left engine revealed that the spark plug electrodes were sooted. The number five cylinder had very low compression resulting from a leak around the exhaust valve area.