What happened
The pilot and owner departed from a private airstrip with the intention of flying the unspecified aircraft to another airport for a scheduled annual inspection. Approximately 15 and 0 feet above the ground during the initial climb, the engine lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing into a hay field, where the airplane nosed over upon touchdown. No injuries were reported.
The investigation
An examination of the wreckage showed no evidence of preimpact failure regarding the airframe or the engine. The aircraft had been out of service for approximately 8 months prior to this flight. Investigators determined that during a period of storage, a hangar collapse had occurred on top of the airplane. This incident caused several points of damage, including dents and tears in the fuel tanks, a broken windshield above the co-pilot's position, multiple dents on the upper surfaces of the wings, and a large hole in the skin above the co-pilot area.
Findings
Several contributing factors were identified during the investigation. The aircraft's annual inspection was overdue, and the airplane had not been inspected or approved for flight operations. Additionally, the pilot had drained a portion of the fuel from the tanks and replaced it with automotive fuel, which was not an approved fuel type for use in this aircraft.