Witness Observations
Three witnesses provided accounts of the flight. The first witness observed the pilot having difficulty starting the engine. After the engine started, the airplane taxied to the runway. The witness then saw the airplane in a steep 45-degree left bank until it disappeared behind corn stalks. A second witness observed the departure and reported that the engine "cut off and on five times" before the airplane descended to the ground. A third witness saw the airplane in a sharp bank, with the left wing tipped downward and the right wing pointed toward the sky, before it disappeared below a tree line.
Maintenance History
On a recent flight, the same pilot had difficulty starting the engine and requested maintenance assistance for a rough running magneto. Maintenance performed on the airplane included removal, cleaning, and verification of specifications for both magnetos and all spark plugs. However, a review of the airplane's maintenance logs did not reveal any entries related to magneto or spark plug malfunctions. After the accident, neither the left nor right magnetos could be tested due to impact and fire damage.
Manual Reference
A review of FAA-H-8083-3, Airplane Flying Handbook, states that if an actual engine failure should occur immediately after takeoff and before a safe maneuvering altitude is attained, it is usually inadvisable to attempt to turn back. Instead, it is safer to immediately establish the proper glide attitude and select a field directly ahead or slightly to either side of the takeoff path. The departure path included several non-populated clear areas and fields along and on either side.