Accident Sequence
The airplane lost engine power after takeoff during the initial climb-out at approximately 200 feet above ground level. The pilot executed a forced landing, touching down on uneven terrain. The aircraft subsequently came to rest inverted. The pilot was on the fourth leg of a cross-country flight when the power loss occurred.
Engine Examination
Investigators inspected the engine and found that the exhaust valves for two cylinders were stuck in the open position. Dark combustion deposits were present in the combustion chambers. Both affected exhaust valves exhibited purple discoloration, consistent with thermal overheating damage. Additionally, all four cylinders showed pink discoloration of the head and cooling fins in the vicinity of the exhaust ports, also indicative of thermal overheating.
Flight History
The pilot reported that the engine had been running rough during the approach phase of the flight prior to the accident. On the day of the accident, the pilot flew the airplane a total distance of approximately 567 nautical miles. The previous 19.8 hours of operation were flown exclusively by the accident pilot. Just before the accident, the engine had undergone a 50-hour inspection and had received a major overhaul 185 hours earlier.