What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost power enroute. Force landed west of airport. Nosed over in mud. 175 not flown 10YRS. Only oil chge fuel flush. (.4) during cruise flight at full throttle and engine RPM at 2,700 to 2,800 (maximum 3,200 RPM), the engine ran rough. As the engine RPM and oil pressure decreased, emergency procedures performed by the flight instructor did not restore engine power. During the forced landing in a wet field, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over to an inverted position. This was the flight instructor's first flight in this make and model of aircraft. Before takeoff, the left magneto drop was beyond the 125 RPM maximum drop allowable. The last annual inspection was conducted in April 1997 at a tachometer reading of 1,956.59 hours. The tachometer reading at the time of the accident was 1,995.61 hours. A teardown of the engine revealed a hole in the #6 cylinder piston, and separation of the rod cap and bolts for the #3 cylinder connecting rod. The components of the #3 connecting rod exhibited overload features. The #6 cylinder piston exhibited physical evidence of detonation or preignition. (-23) aircraft departed on a training flight with two occupants on board from dwh. Approximately 10 min into flight and at level off, aircraft could not maintain power. Rpm's could not be maintained and steadily dropped off. Aircraft turned south to try and make a forced landing at "may" airport (2XS3). Propeller eventually stopped in flight and aircraft performed a forced landing approximately 1/2 mile west of 2XS3 into a muddy field. Aircraft rolled approximately 40' and then flipped over. Substantial a/c damage and 2 minor injuries resulted.
As the FAA filed it
LOST POWER ENROUTE. FORCE LANDED WEST OF AIRPORT. NOSED OVER IN MUD. 175 NOT FLOWN 10YRS. ONLY OIL CHGE FUEL FLUSH. (.4) DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT FULL THROTTLE AND ENGINE RPM AT 2,700 TO 2,800 (MAXIMUM 3,200 RPM), THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH. AS THE ENGINE RPM AND OIL PRESSURE DECREASED, EMERGENCY PROCEDURES PERFORMED BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DID NOT RESTORE ENGINE POWER. DURING THE FORCED LANDING IN A WET FIELD, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER TO AN INVERTED POSITION. THIS WAS THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S FIRST FLIGHT IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT. BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE LEFT MAGNETO DROP WAS BEYOND THE 125 RPM MAXIMUM DROP ALLOWABLE. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED IN APRIL 1997 AT A TACHOMETER READING OF 1,956.59 HOURS. THE TACHOMETER READING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 1,995.61 HOURS. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A HOLE IN THE #6 CYLINDER PISTON, AND SEPARATION OF THE ROD CAP AND BOLTS FOR THE #3 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD. THE COMPONENTS OF THE #3 CONNECTING ROD EXHIBITED OVERLOAD FEATURES. THE #6 CYLINDER PISTON EXHIBITED PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF DETONATION OR PREIGNITION. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON A TRAINING FLIGHT WITH TWO OCCUPANTS ON BOARD FROM DWH. APPROXIMATELY 10 MIN INTO FLIGHT AND AT LEVEL OFF, AIRCRAFT COULD NOT MAINTAIN POWER. RPM'S COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED AND STEADILY DROPPED OFF. AIRCRAFT TURNED SOUTH TO TRY AND MAKE A FORCED LANDING AT "MAY" AIRPORT (2XS3). PROPELLER EVENTUALLY STOPPED IN FLIGHT AND AIRCRAFT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE WEST OF 2XS3 INTO A MUDDY FIELD. AIRCRAFT ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 40' AND THEN FLIPPED OVER. SUBSTANTIAL A/C DAMAGE AND 2 MINOR INJURIES RESULTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.