What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft lost engine on short final for runway, made right turn, landed in grass short of airport. (.4)while on final approach the pilot advanced the throttle; however, the engine power did not increase. A forced landing was made in a soybean field. The airplane contacted a ditch at which time the nose gear collapsed. The airplane then continued across a road where it contacted two sign posts. Post accident inspection failed to reveal any failure/malfunction which would have prevented normal operation of the engine. It was noted, however, that the spark plugs were sooted. The engine functioned normally during a test run. The temperature/dew point (68 and 56 degrees f respectively) is conductive to moderate icing at cruise power or serious icing at glide power. (-23) on July 6, 1997, at approximately 0840 CDT, the aircraft landed in a bean field about one fourth (1/4) mile southeast of Peoria airport and stopped at the intersection of two roads. The aircraft struck a ditch, doing damage to the landing gear, propeller and fuselage. The right wing struck a traffic sign. The pilot stated he attempted to add power to make the runway, but the engine did not respond. He stated he did not remember if he applied carburetor heat during the approach.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT LOST ENGINE ON SHORT FINAL FOR RUNWAY, MADE RIGHT TURN, LANDED IN GRASS SHORT OF AIRPORT. (.4)WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT ADVANCED THE THROTTLE; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE POWER DID NOT INCREASE. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A SOYBEAN FIELD. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED A DITCH AT WHICH TIME THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRPLANE THEN CONTINUED ACROSS A ROAD WHERE IT CONTACTED TWO SIGN POSTS. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION OF THE ENGINE. IT WAS NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT THE SPARK PLUGS WERE SOOTED. THE ENGINE FUNCTIONED NORMALLY DURING A TEST RUN. THE TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT (68 AND 56 DEGREES F RESPECTIVELY) IS CONDUCTIVE TO MODERATE ICING AT CRUISE POWER OR SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE POWER. (-23) ON JULY 6, 1997, AT APPROXIMATELY 0840 CDT, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A BEAN FIELD ABOUT ONE FOURTH (1/4) MILE SOUTHEAST OF PEORIA AIRPORT AND STOPPED AT THE INTERSECTION OF TWO ROADS. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A DITCH, DOING DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR, PROPELLER AND FUSELAGE. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TRAFFIC SIGN. THE PILOT STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER TO MAKE THE RUNWAY, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE STATED HE DID NOT REMEMBER IF HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT DURING THE APPROACH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.