What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Forced landing, number three exhaust valve failure, and loss of engine power. Struck top of a tree. (-4)the pilot stated the airplane was in cruise flight at 6,500 feet mean sea level when the airplane's engine 'began to run rough, then lose power.' The pilot 'selected a field for emergency landing and made an approach to the field.' The airplane struck the top of a tree and subsequently impacted the terrain. Field examination of the engine revealed impact damage to the face of the number three cylinder piston. A piece of metal was found imbedded in the piston. The exhaust rocker arm was removed on the number three cylinder revealing the valve stem extended approximately 1/2 inch and the valve head broken off. No other anomalies to the engine were found.
As the FAA filed it
FORCED LANDING, NUMBER THREE EXHAUST VALVE FAILURE, AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. STRUCK TOP OF A TREE. (-4)THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 6,500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE 'BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, THEN LOSE POWER.' THE PILOT 'SELECTED A FIELD FOR EMERGENCY LANDING AND MADE AN APPROACH TO THE FIELD.' THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TOP OF A TREE AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. FIELD EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE FACE OF THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER PISTON. A PIECE OF METAL WAS FOUND IMBEDDED IN THE PISTON. THE EXHAUST ROCKER ARM WAS REMOVED ON THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER REVEALING THE VALVE STEM EXTENDED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 INCH AND THE VALVE HEAD BROKEN OFF. NO OTHER ANOMALIES TO THE ENGINE WERE FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.