What happened
The pilot, who had received his private pilot's license earlier that same day, was conducting a flight with his brother. Shortly after lifting off from an abandoned 800-foot airstrip using a short-field takeoff technique with full flaps, the engine began to lose power, with revolutions per minute dropping by approximately 500 to 700. As the pilot leveled off to maintain airspeed, the engine shut down completely.
Due to the extended flaps and low airspeed during the flare, the aircraft continued to descend. The flight resulted in a hard landing that sheared off the landing gear and caused bending of the propeller and engine mounts. Evidence at the scene showed a tail wheel strike mark in the dirt 168 feet from the runway threshold, and the main landing gear struck two dirt berms located just beyond that point.
The investigation
During the inspection of the aircraft, the mixture control was found in the full rich position. A partial disassembly of the engine revealed that the no. 2 cylinder had a compression ratio of 45/80, which was attributed to exhaust blow-by.