What happened
While climbing through 200 to 300 feet above ground level following departure from the airport, the aircraft experienced a partial loss of engine power. This was immediately followed by a total loss of engine power.
To avoid houses located in the direction of the landing path, the pilot reported pushing the airplane down to reach an open field. The pilot reported that the touchdown speed during the emergency landing was 90 mph.
The investigation
Investigators conducted five postaccident engine runs, but these tests did not duplicate the loss of engine power experienced during the flight. Following these runs, the top engine spark plugs were removed and found to be black and sooty in appearance.
Additionally, the engine-driven fuel pump was removed for examination. The engine manufacturer reported that the fuel pump's discharge pressure exceeded its maximum specified pressure.