What happened
Following takeoff from a private airstrip, an aircraft experienced a partial loss of engine power at an altitude of approximately 300 feet AGL. In response to the power loss, the pilot executed a forced landing onto a road. During the landing sequence, the aircraft's wing made contact with tall weeds located in a roadside ditch, which subsequently pulled the airplane into the ditch.
The pilot shut down the engine once the aircraft had come to a complete stop. The pilot was not injured during the event.
The investigation
An engine run was conducted to evaluate the mechanical condition of the powerplant. An FAA inspector, who was present for the test, observed that the pilot started the engine and it ran smoothly. When the throttle was advanced slightly, the engine accelerated without issue.
The pilot noted that environmental conditions on the day of the accident included high temperature and high humidity, leading to a suspicion of carburetor icing. However, this suspected cause was not verified by the investigation.