What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft lost engine power and made emergency landing on a highway, hit a sign, ran into a ditch. (.4)during a local sightseeing flight, the engine started running rough. The pilot began a turn back toward the airport and noticed a decrease in power, which continued to escalate. He was unable to maintain altitude and selected a road to attempt a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane's right wing struck a telephone junction box. An exam revealed that the number 6 cylinder exhaust valve rocker arm adjustment nut was loose and the exhaust valve was not functioning. Review of the maintenance records disclosed that the valves were adjusted at the factory about 5 months and 200 hours prior to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT LOST ENGINE POWER AND MADE EMERGENCY LANDING ON A HIGHWAY, HIT A SIGN, RAN INTO A DITCH. (.4)DURING A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. THE PILOT BEGAN A TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT AND NOTICED A DECREASE IN POWER, WHICH CONTINUED TO ESCALATE. HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND SELECTED A ROAD TO ATTEMPT A FORCED LANDING. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A TELEPHONE JUNCTION BOX. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 6 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE ROCKER ARM ADJUSTMENT NUT WAS LOOSE AND THE EXHAUST VALVE WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS DISCLOSED THAT THE VALVES WERE ADJUSTED AT THE FACTORY ABOUT 5 MONTHS AND 200 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.