What happened
During the initial takeoff roll and acceleration on the runway, witnesses observed the engines sputtering. As the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 200 to 300 feet above ground level, the right engine lost power.
Unable to maintain altitude following the power loss, the pilot feathered the right engine and executed a right turn of approximately 100 degrees to attempt a forced landing in a nearby pasture. Although the landing gear was down and locked, the aircraft stalled and impacted the ground with the nose and right wing low. There were no fatalities reported.
The investigation
The investigation confirmed that the aircraft had sufficient fuel for the flight. During engine test runs, both engines appeared to operate without discrepancies, though intermittent roughness and missing were noted specifically during the run of the right engine.
Mechanical examination of the right magneto revealed that the insulation on the "P" lead was frayed and broken. Additionally, an internal examination of the left magneto showed that the advance spark system wire had been chafed through, creating contact with the normal points circuit at the normal point condenser connection. Investigators determined that under running conditions, this could have caused a possible grounding short of the normal points operation.