What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft struck a tree during landing. (.4) the pilot reported that while in cruise flight, the engine RPM dropped and the airplane began to shake. The pilot checked the gauges, the throttle and mixture, the magnetos, fuel valve position, and found nothing wrong. The pilot stated that he notified air traffic of the loss of engine power, and diverted to a nearby airpark. The pilot entered the pattern and set-up for a short field landing, however, due to a tailwind, sloping terrain, and excess airspeed, the airplane floated a considerable distance down the runway. The pilot stated that when the airplane touched down, he realized that he did not have enough runway left to stop, and opted to turn off the runway onto a steep uphill taxiway. During the roll up this taxiway, the right wing struck trees and spun the airplane around 180 degrees. During the postcrash inspection of the engine, the exhaust valve for the number three cylinder was found broken.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE DURING LANDING. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE PILOT CHECKED THE GAUGES, THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE, THE MAGNETOS, FUEL VALVE POSITION, AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE NOTIFIED AIR TRAFFIC OF THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND DIVERTED TO A NEARBY AIRPARK. THE PILOT ENTERED THE PATTERN AND SET-UP FOR A SHORT FIELD LANDING, HOWEVER, DUE TO A TAILWIND, SLOPING TERRAIN, AND EXCESS AIRSPEED, THE AIRPLANE FLOATED A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, HE REALIZED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH RUNWAY LEFT TO STOP, AND OPTED TO TURN OFF THE RUNWAY ONTO A STEEP UPHILL TAXIWAY. DURING THE ROLL UP THIS TAXIWAY, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK TREES AND SPUN THE AIRPLANE AROUND 180 DEGREES. DURING THE POSTCRASH INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE, THE EXHAUST VALVE FOR THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER WAS FOUND BROKEN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.