Incident Description
During the takeoff climbout of a homebuilt airplane, witnesses observed the aircraft with its main landing gear retracted while the nose gear remained extended. The airplane subsequently experienced an engine sputtering, after which it stalled and entered an uncontrolled descent to the ground.
Witness Accounts
Multiple witnesses recounted hearing the engine sputtering before the stall and descent. No further details about the sequence of events were provided in the investigation.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the accident, an examination of the aircraft revealed that the carburetor choke plate was found in the closed position. Additionally, the pilot had installed a positive downlock mechanism on the nose gear to prevent its retraction unless a specific pull-to-release handle in the cockpit was used. This handle, which enabled nose gear retraction, was noted to resemble the choke handle in appearance.