Amateur-built LESS DRAG SPECIAL N130LD accident near Oxnard, California

Probable cause

A loss of engine power after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, and the pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin.

NTSB analysis

Two witnesses stated that they observed the airplane taxi out and take off, and they reported that the engine sounded good. Additional witnesses reported seeing the airplane depart and then hearing the engine backfire and sputter before losing power. The airplane banked left as if the pilot were trying to return to the airport. The airplane's nose pitched up, it stalled, and then its nose pitched down before it impacted terrain. A postimpact fire destroyed the fuselage, cabin, cockpit, and right wing. The left wing and empennage were seriously damaged by the fire and impact forces. No anomalies were noted during the postaccident examination that would have resulted in the loss of engine power or the subsequent loss of airplane control. The witnesses' descriptions of the event were consistent with the airplane entering an aerodynamic stall/spin while the pilot was attempting to return to the airport after encountering a loss of engine power during initial climb. A review of weight and balance data revealed that the airplane would have been within its center of gravity limits at the time of the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR13FA298 for the full record.