What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Performing demo for purchase, on downwind at 500FT AGL, engine quit, attempted to turn and land, landed hard. (.19) on August 11, 1997, at 1030 eastern daylight time, a zenair 701, N105RC, collided with the ground while attempting an emergency landing at Spruce Creek Airport, Spruce Creek, Florida. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91, and visual flight rules. The prevailing weather was visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed for this personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The local flight originated at 0930. According to the pilot, this flight was a demonstration for the passenger who hoped to purchase the amateur built, experimental airplane. The pilot did a pre-flight, and he filled the two cycle, outboard motor engine with amoco high grade gasoline. After flying in the area for about an hour, the pilot landed the airplane at Spruce Creek Airport. Up to this point, the pilot stated "the engine had been running beautifully", and the gages all read normal values. After taxiing back for takeoff, th e airplane departed for closed pattern work. At an altitude of 50 feet, the pilot stated the engine "lost about 100 RPM, but was still climbing". While on the downwind leg at about 500 feet, the engine quit. The pilot attempted to turn and land at Spruce Creek Airport, but landed in a grass field short of the runway. (.4)according to the pilot, he completed a pre-flight and filled the two cycle, outboard motor engine with amoco high grade gasoline. After flying around the area for about an hour, the pilot landed the airplane at Spruce Creek Airport. The pilot stated he then taxied back for takeoff and departed for closed pattern work. At an altitude of 50 feet, the pilot stated the engine 'lost about 100 RPM, but was still climbing'. Upon turning downwind at 500 feet, the engine quit. Unable to return to the airport, the pilot landed in a wet field. The airplane sank into the mud upon touchdown, and it burst into flames. The atmospheric conditions were favorable to carburetor icing. (-23) pilot reported they were at 500 feet on downwind when the engine quit . He attempted to turn and land parallel to furrows in grass field but aircraft landed hard before it was aligned. This accident was the result of a forced landing.
As the FAA filed it
PERFORMING DEMO FOR PURCHASE, ON DOWNWIND AT 500FT AGL, ENGINE QUIT, ATTEMPTED TO TURN AND LAND, LANDED HARD. (.19) ON AUGUST 11, 1997, AT 1030 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A ZENAIR 701, N105RC, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT SPRUCE CREEK AIRPORT, SPRUCE CREEK, FLORIDA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. THE PREVAILING WEATHER WAS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THIS PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 0930. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THIS FLIGHT WAS A DEMONSTRATION FOR THE PASSENGER WHO HOPED TO PURCHASE THE AMATEUR BUILT, EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE. THE PILOT DID A PRE-FLIGHT, AND HE FILLED THE TWO CYCLE, OUTBOARD MOTOR ENGINE WITH AMOCO HIGH GRADE GASOLINE. AFTER FLYING IN THE AREA FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE AT SPRUCE CREEK AIRPORT. UP TO THIS POINT, THE PILOT STATED "THE ENGINE HAD BEEN RUNNING BEAUTIFULLY", AND THE GAGES ALL READ NORMAL VALUES. AFTER TAXIING BACK FOR TAKEOFF, TH E AIRPLANE DEPARTED FOR CLOSED PATTERN WORK. AT AN ALTITUDE OF 50 FEET, THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE "LOST ABOUT 100 RPM, BUT WAS STILL CLIMBING". WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG AT ABOUT 500 FEET, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN AND LAND AT SPRUCE CREEK AIRPORT, BUT LANDED IN A GRASS FIELD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. (.4)ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE COMPLETED A PRE-FLIGHT AND FILLED THE TWO CYCLE, OUTBOARD MOTOR ENGINE WITH AMOCO HIGH GRADE GASOLINE. AFTER FLYING AROUND THE AREA FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE AT SPRUCE CREEK AIRPORT. THE PILOT STATED HE THEN TAXIED BACK FOR TAKEOFF AND DEPARTED FOR CLOSED PATTERN WORK. AT AN ALTITUDE OF 50 FEET, THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE 'LOST ABOUT 100 RPM, BUT WAS STILL CLIMBING'. UPON TURNING DOWNWIND AT 500 FEET, THE ENGINE QUIT. UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT LANDED IN A WET FIELD. THE AIRPLANE SANK INTO THE MUD UPON TOUCHDOWN, AND IT BURST INTO FLAMES. THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE TO CARBURETOR ICING. (-23) PILOT REPORTED THEY WERE AT 500 FEET ON DOWNWIND WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT . HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN AND LAND PARALLEL TO FURROWS IN GRASS FIELD BUT AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD BEFORE IT WAS ALIGNED. THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF A FORCED LANDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.