Indicates Ryan PT-22 Lost Engine Power Shortly After Takeoff

The NTSB has released a preliminary report from the accident last week involving actor Harrison Ford, though as is often the nature of such things, there is not a lot detail in the report.

The NTSB says that on March 5, 2015, about 1422 Pacific standard time, a Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR, N53178, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing after takeoff from the Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO), Santa Monica, California. The airplane was registered to MG Aviation Inc., and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The local flight originated from SMO about 1421.

The SMO Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), controller reported that following takeoff from runway 21, the pilot advised of an engine failure and requested an immediate return to the airport. The pilot initiated a left turn back towards the airport; the airplane subsequently struck the top of a tall tree prior to impacting the ground in an open area of a golf course, about 800 feet southwest of the approach end of runway 3. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.

The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov