What happened
The aircraft had been fully fueled earlier in the day and had completed one uneventful flight prior to the accident. During departure from runway 30 for a return flight to the pilot's home airport, the engine began to run rough and experienced a loss of partial power at approximately 200 feet above ground level. Although the electric fuel pump was active and the pilot attempted to switch fuel tanks, the engine performance did not improve.
The pilot initially attempted to fly a left-hand traffic pattern for runway 30 but determined the aircraft would be unable to reach the runway. Consequently, the pilot performed a forced landing on a closed runway oriented approximately 070 degrees. The aircraft touched down near the end of the runway, crossed a grassy area, and struck trees. There were no fatalities reported in the accident.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage showed that the flaps were retracted at the time of impact. While the left wing fuel tank was compromised during the collision, the right wing fuel tank remained intact and contained approximately one-quarter of its capacity. Fuel was also found present in the fuel manifold. The fuel selector was positioned toward the left tank but was not fully seated in the detent.
Investigators noted that the number six exhaust valve pushrod was bent, though this may have occurred during the recovery of the aircraft. An examination of the engine and the number six cylinder exhaust valve revealed no mechanical malfunctions occurring prior to the impact. The aircraft's most recent annual inspection had been completed approximately 20 days before the accident, with only about 3 hours of operation recorded since that inspection.