Accident Sequence
After departure, while climbing through an altitude of about 700 feet, the airplane's engine sputtered and then lost power. The pilot initiated a right turn back toward the airport and attempted a forced landing onto a taxiway. During the landing roll, the airplane's left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing contacted the ground.
Post-Accident Examination
Shortly after the accident, the fuel tanks were found to be full. However, only a trace amount of fuel was present in the fuel filter bowl. When the fuel tanks were sumped, fuel flow was observed to be lower than normal. No water or ice was detected in the fuel samples. The airplane was subsequently placed in a hangar overnight to thaw. After thawing, fuel flow increased. A test run of the engine on the airframe revealed that it started without hesitation and ran continuously at various power settings.
Environmental Conditions
The airplane had been parked outside during the night prior to the accident flight. The overnight low temperature was 28°F, with a dewpoint of 28°F. Light snow and mist were reported throughout the night. The pilot reported that he removed a significant amount of ice from the airplane during the preflight inspection. At the time of the accident, the temperature was 34°F.