Incident Overview
The airplane struck the airport perimeter fence and came to rest inverted after initiating a turn back to the runway for an emergency landing due to a loss of engine power. The event occurred during the initial climb out when the engine began to sputter.
Preflight and Takeoff Procedures
No discrepancies were found during the preflight inspection or during the startup, run-up, or pretakeoff procedures. The flight proceeded normally until the engine issue arose.
Engine Power Loss and Response
During the initial climb out, the engine began to sputter. The Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), who was on board, took control of the airplane. The CFI verified that the fuel pump was on, the throttle was full forward, and the mixture was rich. Despite these actions, the engine sputtered again, and the fuel pressure gauge indicated zero.
Emergency Landing Attempt
During the turn back to the runway, the airplane lost altitude. The aircraft subsequently struck the airport perimeter fence and came to rest inverted.
Post-Crash Inspection and Engine Test
A post-crash engine inspection and run-up were conducted. No discrepancies were noted with the visual inspection of the engine. A remote fuel source was attached to the fuel line on the left wing to facilitate an engine run-up. With the electric fuel pump engaged, fuel pressure was observed on the fuel pressure gauge. No visible fuel leaks were observed on the engine.
The engine was started per the manufacturer's checklist, and a warm-up period was initiated. After the warm-up period, the throttle was advanced to full power with no discrepancies noted.