Accident Overview
On June 23, 2010, at 1852 Pacific daylight time, an experimental DeHavilland DHC-1, registration N6540C, experienced a loss of engine power during takeoff from Vaughan Ranch Airfield (WN13) in Port Orchard, Washington. The airplane was substantially damaged in the subsequent forced landing. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The flight was being conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that this was the airplane's first flight in approximately 15 months. He had performed several engine runs on the ground, during which a minor problem was identified and corrected. The departure was from runway 20, with a left teardrop turn over the field. According to the pilot, when the airplane reached an altitude of about 400 to 500 feet above ground level, the engine suddenly lost all power without any surging or backfiring. He executed a forced landing through tall trees into a heavily vegetated field. The impact caused the engine to separate from its mount, the empennage to bend approximately 30 degrees to the left, and both wings and the fuselage to become bent and wrinkled.
Maintenance and Postaccident Examination
Maintenance records showed that a condition inspection had been signed off on the day of the accident. The records also indicated that the wings, flaps, ailerons, and empennage had recently been covered with new fabric, and both fuel bladders had been overhauled and reinstalled. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and a mechanic involved draining a mixture of fuel and water from an unsumpable gascolator located on the firewall. The airplane owner reported that the aircraft had been parked outside for several days prior to the accident, during which there had been numerous heavy rains in the area.