Accident Overview
The airplane was destroyed when it struck the ground approximately five miles north of the airport from which it departed. The pilot sustained serious injuries, and both passengers received fatal injuries. The pilot reported having no memory of the flight after announcing his intention to take off over the radio. He did not mention any anomalies discovered during the pre-flight inspection or engine run-up.
Witness Account
A witness observed the airplane during taxi, run-up, and takeoff. He noted that the engine's RPM drop during the run-up was significantly higher than the allowable limit. Based on his experience operating a similar aircraft model, the witness stated that the airplane did not accelerate as expected. The engine sound was smooth, but he believed it was not producing full power during the takeoff roll. The airplane's acceleration was insufficient for a normal takeoff. The witness did not see any attempt to abort or slow the aircraft. He observed the airplane rotate twice and lift about three feet off the runway before descending with a left wing high attitude and then bouncing back into the air. By then, the airplane had passed the end of the runway. The witness became alarmed when the airplane failed to gain altitude and lost sight of it behind large trees. He concluded that continued flight would be impossible due to the degraded performance.
Postaccident Examination
The postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed that the contact points for the left magneto were not opening when the magneto's input shaft rotated. The mounting screws could be turned with minimal effort. The investigation could not determine when the magneto's points were last serviced. No other pre-impact discrepancies were found.