What happened
The pilot, holding a private certificate with approximately 198 hours of flight time, initiated a departure from a grass strip. The sequence began with a standard engine run-up before the aircraft accelerated southward along the runway. As the airplane reached rotation speed and the tail lifted, the engine suddenly lost power. The tail settled back toward the ground as airspeed decayed rapidly.
The aircraft struck a mound of dirt on the field, which launched it upward at a velocity below stall speed. Gravity then caused the plane to fall vertically onto adjacent farm machinery. The specific mechanical or operational reason for the sudden engine failure could not be determined from the available information.
The investigation
Investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the takeoff and the subsequent impact. While the pilot reported a complete loss of power after applying full throttle, no definitive cause was identified. The physical evidence confirmed the aircraft hit a dirt mound before impacting agricultural equipment.
Findings
The event involved a critical failure during the initial climb phase. The combination of low airspeed and terrain irregularities contributed to the severity of the impact. The inability to determine the root cause of the power loss remains a key finding.