Accident Overview
On August 4, 2011, at 0830 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 140, registration N2199N, collided with trees during a forced landing near Wilkeson, Washington. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot, who was also the registered owner, and one passenger were not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed for the local area flight.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot's written statement, he had washed the airplane the day before the accident. Prior to the accident flight, he performed an extensive preflight inspection, verifying that no water was present in the fuel and that the scat tubing was free of moisture. The engine run-up was uneventful. During takeoff, the pilot advanced the throttle to takeoff power and released the brakes. About halfway down the runway, the engine began to lose power and sputter. The pilot verified the fuel selector and carburetor heat positions and then began pumping the throttle. Unable to sustain engine power, he performed a forced landing into trees. In a subsequent phone conversation, the pilot reported that on prior occasions after washing the airplane, he had experienced momentary power interruptions, which he attributed to residual water.
Post-Accident Inspection
A Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator conducted a post-accident inspection. The engine was test run using the airframe fuel system, fuel, and controls, from idle to 2,200 revolutions per minute with no operational anomalies.