What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft engine failed while aircraft was in traffic pattern, made an emergency landing on a road. (.4)the pilot reported that he was climbing, 300 to 400 feet above ground level, when the engine suddenly lost power. After two to three seconds, the engine 'fired' for 'another second' then lost power again. He selected a road to conduct a forced landing. He reported that during the landing 'the vertical velocity was too fast.' The landing gear collapsed and the left wing collided with a post. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of engine control or flight control malfunction and no anomalies with fuel or oil. The piston rings were 'seized on the piston.' (-23) on may 17, 1996 at approximately 1940 hours EDT, an experimental/amateur built avid flyer aircraft, N4274A, s/n 564, sustained substantial damage to the main landing gears and left wing while making an emergency off airport landing, after engine failure, on hart street 25 NM, NE of grand rapids, MI. The flight originated at greenville, MI. The private pilot, william c. granger, and his passenger were not injured. This investigation is close d, but, the cause of engine failure remains under investigation and an m or d will follow.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT ENGINE FAILED WHILE AIRCRAFT WAS IN TRAFFIC PATTERN, MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A ROAD. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS CLIMBING, 300 TO 400 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. AFTER TWO TO THREE SECONDS, THE ENGINE 'FIRED' FOR 'ANOTHER SECOND' THEN LOST POWER AGAIN. HE SELECTED A ROAD TO CONDUCT A FORCED LANDING. HE REPORTED THAT DURING THE LANDING 'THE VERTICAL VELOCITY WAS TOO FAST.' THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH A POST. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ENGINE CONTROL OR FLIGHT CONTROL MALFUNCTION AND NO ANOMALIES WITH FUEL OR OIL. THE PISTON RINGS WERE 'SEIZED ON THE PISTON.' (-23) ON MAY 17, 1996 AT APPROXIMATELY 1940 HOURS EDT, AN EXPERIMENTAL/AMATEUR BUILT AVID FLYER AIRCRAFT, N4274A, S/N 564, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN LANDING GEARS AND LEFT WING WHILE MAKING AN EMERGENCY OFF AIRPORT LANDING, AFTER ENGINE FAILURE, ON HART STREET 25 NM, NE OF GRAND RAPIDS, MI. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT GREENVILLE, MI. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WILLIAM C. GRANGER, AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSE D, BUT, THE CAUSE OF ENGINE FAILURE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND AN M OR D WILL FOLLOW.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.