What happened
During the initial climb following takeoff, witnesses observed the airplane reach a maximum altitude of 200 feet above the runway. The aircraft then entered a right wing low attitude and descended into level ground, striking the area short of the airport's perimeter fence. Upon impact, a fire erupted that consumed the entire aircraft.
The pilot sustained fatal injuries. Before passing away, the pilot informed medical personnel that the engine had failed while he was attempting to execute a turn.
The investigation
An examination of the airframe revealed fire damage to the wings in areas corresponding to both the inboard and outboard fuel tanks. The fuel selectors were found in the main tank positions, and the landing gear was extended at the time of the accident. The rudder trim tab was set to a position consistent with a power failure on the right engine.
Mechanical inspection of the engines showed no evidence of internal mechanical malfunction. While the left propeller blades exhibited torsional twisting and gouging, the right propeller blades sustained only minor damage.
The pilot, who was an airframe and powerplant mechanic, had performed recent maintenance on the aircraft himself. This flight was the first since that maintenance, which occurred approximately 3.5 months prior. Investigators found no logbook records identifying the specific maintenance performed. Based on the aircraft weight and prevailing meteorological conditions, performance data indicated the airplane should have maintained a positive climb rate if the right engine's propeller had been feathered and the landing gear retracted.
Findings
Investigators were unable to determine the cause of the nonmechanical loss of power in the right engine.