Amateur-built ZENITH CH 701 accident near Garden Ridge, Texas, October 5, 2019

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The pilot reported that the airplane was fully loaded with fuel and that all preflight checks were normal for the personal flight. He indicated that, after departure, as the airplane reached between about 10 and 15 ft above ground level, the engine power rolled back "opposite of a surge." He landed straight ahead into brush past the runway end. During the landing, the right main landing gear and nose landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. During the engine examination, several items were identified that could have contributed to a reduction or loss of engine power, including a lack of a fuel return line, a loose exhaust pipe, dirty air filters, and a disconnected choke lever. However, an engine test run was conducted without correcting any of the identified deficiencies, and the engine performed without interruption; no anomalies were noted. Further, no anomalies were noted during the airframe examination. Although the conditions were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power, the airplane was operating at takeoff power at the time of the accident. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.