What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: on March 23, 1996, a Piper PA-28-180, N7076, pilot freddie davis with a mechanic, alfred g. bailey, on board as passenger was over Stedman, NC on a local flight at 1700 feet MSL. Contacted fayetteville ATCT to check hand-held radios after which the aircraft descended to 700 feet AGL. Both the pilot and passenger heard a knocking and smelled smoke at this time. The engine started to lose power and pilot made an emergency landing in a soft dirt field. Investigation of the engine found two holes in the crankcase above the #2 cylinder which caused the engine to lose power. However, we were unable to determine the cause of the holes in the crankcase. Inspection of the aircraft records revealed that annual/100-hour inspection on the engine and airframe had been on November 24, 1986. privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: ON MARCH 23, 1996, A PIPER PA-28-180, N7076, PILOT FREDDIE DAVIS WITH A MECHANIC, ALFRED G. BAILEY, ON BOARD AS PASSENGER WAS OVER STEDMAN, NC ON A LOCAL FLIGHT AT 1700 FEET MSL. CONTACTED FAYETTEVILLE ATCT TO CHECK HAND-HELD RADIOS AFTER WHICH THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED TO 700 FEET AGL. BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER HEARD A KNOCKING AND SMELLED SMOKE AT THIS TIME. THE ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A SOFT DIRT FIELD. INVESTIGATION OF THE ENGINE FOUND TWO HOLES IN THE CRANKCASE ABOVE THE #2 CYLINDER WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER. HOWEVER, WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE HOLES IN THE CRANKCASE. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS REVEALED THAT ANNUAL/100-HOUR INSPECTION ON THE ENGINE AND AIRFRAME HAD BEEN ON NOVEMBER 24, 1986. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^