What happened
During the climbout phase, approximately 300 feet above the ground, the engine lost power, dropping to 2000 rpm. The student pilot reported that the engine audibly lost a cylinder and noted that the Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) for the number 3 cylinder was very high. Despite verifying that the mixture was at full rich and attempting to reduce the throttle, the EGT did not improve. Upon returning to full throttle, the engine experienced a hard stop within two seconds, accompanied by heavy airframe vibration. The pilot glided the aircraft toward a road, but the aircraft collided with trees and the ground. There were no fatalities reported in the source text.
The investigation
An examination of the engine showed that compression was present on all four cylinders when the crankshaft was rotated at the propeller flange. The valve train continuity was observed, and both magnetos produced spark on all towers. Investigators found crush damage on the air intake box. After removing the lower engine cowling, the carburetor was found separated from the intake manifold. The manifold mount studs showed signs of chafing, and one mounting stud was bent. Additionally, one mounting nut and two flat washers were discovered inside the cowling, while the remaining mounting nuts could not be located.