Light aircraft experiences engine failure after takeoff, makes forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	114264
Time
Date	198906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ls39
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 333 flight time type : 151
ASRS Report	114264
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Takeoff was successful, but during climb at 100' AGL, the engine quit abruptly (propeller continued to windmill, but there was no sputtering or coughing). Followed emergency procedures and landed in an open field slightly to left of departure path. Shut down all systems and quickly exited aircraft. There were no injuries or property damage. Damage to aircraft appeared to be limited to gear, propeller and dents. I do not know why the engine quit, but the wet field may somehow have contributed. It was a grass strip with some standing water and mud. I intend to study thoroughly the small aircraft X aircraft inlet system and fuel supply system to see if somehow mud or water in the inlet that subsequently got sucked into the engine on climb could be the cause.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHT ACFT EXPERIENCES ENGINE FAILURE AFTER TKOF, MAKES FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: TKOF WAS SUCCESSFUL, BUT DURING CLIMB AT 100' AGL, THE ENGINE QUIT ABRUPTLY (PROP CONTINUED TO WINDMILL, BUT THERE WAS NO SPUTTERING OR COUGHING). FOLLOWED EMER PROCS AND LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD SLIGHTLY TO LEFT OF DEP PATH. SHUT DOWN ALL SYSTEMS AND QUICKLY EXITED ACFT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. DAMAGE TO ACFT APPEARED TO BE LIMITED TO GEAR, PROP AND DENTS. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE ENGINE QUIT, BUT THE WET FIELD MAY SOMEHOW HAVE CONTRIBUTED. IT WAS A GRASS STRIP WITH SOME STANDING WATER AND MUD. I INTEND TO STUDY THOROUGHLY THE SMA X ACFT INLET SYSTEM AND FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM TO SEE IF SOMEHOW MUD OR WATER IN THE INLET THAT SUBSEQUENTLY GOT SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE ON CLIMB COULD BE THE CAUSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.