What happened
Following an en route stop, the pilot took off in a newly acquired aircraft. Shortly after the retraction of the landing gear and flaps, the engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot reported that all engine gauges appeared normal and initiated a turn to attempt a return to the airport.
Moments later, the aircraft suffered a total loss of power. During the subsequent descent, the aircraft clipped several trees and struck a power line before crashing in an inverted position into a mobile-home park. Witnesses noted that the pilot had attempted to fly the same aircraft the previous day but had returned to the airport due to engine problems.
The investigation
Investigators examined the single shaft dual magnetos. When these components were rotated by an electric motor following the accident, only intermittent sparks were observed.