What happened
During the takeoff roll from runway 22 at Newark Airport, an aircraft began its ascent but encountered a critical malfunction while reaching an altitude of approximately 200 feet. The left engine ceased functioning during this early climb phase. In response to the loss of power, the crew initiated a descent to lower their altitude and executed an emergency belly landing in an adjacent field.
The aircraft traveled several yards across the ground before coming to a complete stop. While the airframe sustained damage that rendered it a total loss, the two pilots involved in the flight sustained slight injuries during the incident.
Findings
Investigations into the mechanical failure revealed that the left engine suffered internal destruction due to the failure of the piston rings, connecting rods, and master rod. A significant contributing factor was that the aircraft was operating at a weight of 9,114 pounds above its maximum takeoff weight. This condition was attributed to inadequate oversight by company operational personnel, who allowed the dispatch of an overloaded aircraft.