Great Lakes 2T1A N3617L accident near San Diego, California

Probable cause

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined, which resulted in a hard landing off airport.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor reported that, during the first takeoff of the day, with the pilot receiving instruction on the flight controls, the engine lost power shortly after takeoff about 350 ft above the runway. The flight instructor took control and established a 75-mph glide and initiated a steep angle-of-bank turn attempting to return to the runway. The flight instructor checked that the throttle, mixture control, and propeller were full forward, and the fuel shutoff was in the ON position. During the descent, the airplane struck a tree then impacted a parking lot adjacent to the airport perimeter. A witness at the airport reported that he heard the engine sputtering and observed it level off about 300 ft above ground level while making a right turn. The engine lost power, the airplane slowed dramatically, and the nose of the airplane started going down. The airplane recovered enough airspeed to bring the nose up just before the collision with a tree north of the runway.

The airplane came to rest upright with significant damage to the engine compartment, and substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR20LA320 for the full record.