Accident Overview
On February 17, 2015, at 1819 Pacific standard time, a Grumman Aircraft Eng. Corp-Schweizer G-164A airplane, N4863, experienced a loss of engine power during takeoff from Goering Ranches Airport (50OR), Alfalfa, Oregon. The pilot, who was also the owner, operated the airplane under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a maintenance test flight. The pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which departed at about 1815.
Pilot and Maintenance History
The pilot was a commercial pilot and also held an airframe and power plant mechanic certificate with inspection authorization privileges. He reported that the airplane had been in storage for the past two years, and he had recently completed an annual inspection. His intent was to perform a maintenance return-to-service flight. The airplane had 25 gallons of fuel on board. The pilot performed two 45-minute run-ups with no discrepancies encountered, then readied the airplane for the maintenance flight.
Sequence of Events
After takeoff, the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot returned to land at 50OR, but overran the runway. The airplane struck a tire and came to rest inverted, which caused structural damage to the tail section. The pilot/owner did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120.1.
Post-Accident Inspection
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector inspected the airplane and performed an engine run-up. The visual inspection revealed bent propeller blades, but there was enough clearance to run the engine. Fuel samples were taken from both wings and the sump; the samples were free of debris and no water was present. The engine started without issues and ran at 700 rpm. A magneto check performed during the run showed no discrepancies. However, due to engine vibration, the inspector was unable to run up to a higher rpm.