Incident Overview
A private pilot, who had received his license earlier that morning, was taking his brother for a ride. The pilot performed a short-field takeoff from an abandoned 800-foot airstrip using full flaps. Shortly after lift-off, the engine began losing power, dropping approximately 500 to 700 revolutions per minute. When the pilot leveled off to maintain airspeed, the engine shut down completely.
Hard Landing and Damage
With flaps still extended and airspeed low during the flare, the airplane continued descending. A hard landing occurred, shearing off the landing gear and bending the engine mounts and propeller. Investigators found a tail wheel strike mark in the dirt 168 feet from the runway threshold. Just beyond that mark, two dirt berms showed evidence of being struck by the airplane's main landing gear.
Engine Examination
Following the incident, the engine was partially disassembled for inspection. The mixture control was found in the FULL RICH position. The no. 2 cylinder had a compression ratio of 45/80, attributed to exhaust blow-by.