What happened
During an initial climb from a private airstrip, the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that approximately 10 minutes into the flight, an engine miss developed. Following this event, the pilot elected to land and subsequently drained fuel from the carburetor bowl and gascolator. Upon finding no water or debris in the fuel samples, the pilot restarted the engine and conducted an extended run-up, during which the engine appeared to function normally.
The pilot attempted a second takeoff, but the engine lost power again during the climb out. The pilot then performed a forced landing on the runway, utilizing the opposite direction of the initial takeoff. The impact was severe; the pilot reported landing hard on the right main gear, causing it to collapse. This caused the aircraft to drop onto its right wing and slide until coming to a stop at the edge of the runway. The pilot was not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
A postaccident examination of the aircraft did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that could be linked to a preexisting condition. However, the pilot noted that the fuel line connecting the gascolator to the carburetor appeared to have had its rubber liner shaved by the fitting during the assembly process, which resulted in restricted fuel flow.