Accident Summary
On September 18, 2010, at approximately 1257 eastern daylight time, a Globe GC-1B, registration N3348K, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain at Briar Patch Airport (9GA1) in Clyo, Georgia. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot. The certificated commercial pilot was seriously injured, and a pilot-rated passenger received minor injuries. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight to Midway, Georgia (9GA2). The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 and was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported that after breaking ground, a noticeable loss of engine power occurred. He checked the engine controls full forward, but this did not remedy the situation. He retracted the landing gear and attempted to gain enough altitude to clear the departure end trees. Realizing the airplane would not clear the trees, he pulled hard aft on the stick to strike the trees flat rather than head-on. The airplane collided with the trees, then the ground, and nosed over.
Witness and Video Evidence
The passenger, a certificated private pilot, reported that the pilot positioned the airplane for takeoff on runway 34. He observed the propeller, throttle, and mixture controls forward, and felt the tail come up during the takeoff roll. As the airplane began to fly, it did not seem to accelerate. He recalled the engine tachometer read between 2,650 and 2,700 rpm during the takeoff roll and climb, and the engine sound was normal. He sensed the airplane would collide with trees at the end of the runway. The right wing struck the trees first, then the airplane rolled over.
A witness standing beside the runway observed the airplane prior to taxi. The engine started normally and sounded smooth. Winds were light and variable, and the wind sock was limp. During the takeoff roll, the engine still sounded smooth. At the mid-field point, the airplane had not yet lifted off and did not seem to accelerate as it should. With very little runway remaining, the airplane lifted off at a high angle of attack and climbed sluggishly to approximately 25 to 35 feet agl. It then began to settle in a steep nose-up attitude and disappeared behind the trees off the departure end of the runway.
The takeoff roll was videotaped by a bystander. Examination of the footage revealed that during the takeoff roll, the pitch attitude increased, and the tailwheel appeared to re-contact the grass surface for about three seconds before the video ended. The liftoff and airborne portions were not recorded. The engine sound during the takeoff roll was consistent with a normal operating engine at takeoff power.
Wreckage and Engine Examination
The wreckage was examined at a salvage facility on February 14, 2011. The fuel tanks were examined, and no water or particulates were observed. The fuel lines and vents were unobstructed. Both fuel tank filler caps were secure, and the rubber seals were pliable. There was no fuel in the left tank and about one inch of light blue-colored fuel in the right tank.
The engine was removed from the airframe and secured to a forklift. The top spark plugs were removed and inspected; the electrodes were normal in color and wear when compared to a Champion inspection chart. Internal engine continuity was confirmed, and valve action was correct. There was impact damage to the exhaust system, engine mount, and fuel control linkages.
The engine rotated freely when the propeller was rotated by hand. A fuel source was plumbed to the inlet of the engine-driven fuel pump. The starter was energized, and the engine started after priming. The engine ran normally; however, when the throttle was retarded from full forward, the engine stopped running. Three attempts were made with the same results.
The fuel injection servo was removed from the engine and sent to Avstar Fuel Systems, Inc., Jupiter, Florida, for further evaluation. An air safety investigator with the NTSB Miami office provided oversight. The fuel injection servo met all manufacturer's specifications when tested, except for an extra lean setting at idle (measured 15 pounds per hour versus a normal range of 22 to 28 pounds per hour). No discrepancies were noted that would have prevented normal operation of the fuel injection servo.
Weather recorded at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Savannah, Georgia, located about 21 miles south of 9GA1, at 1253, included winds variable at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 3,600 feet, ceiling broken at 18,000 feet, temperature 30 degrees C, dew point 21 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.09 inches Hg.