What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Engine failed in flight. Pilot attempted restart with no success. A/c substantially damaged upon landing. (.4)the airplane was in cruise flight at 7,500 feet with the engine producing satisfactory power. The pilot said the engine slowly and smoothly lost power over a 10-15 second duration. The engine completely lost power over an unlighted rural area and the pilot struck trees and collided with terrain during the subsequent forced landing. Examination of aircraft records revealed the engine and the fuel control were overhauled by their respective manufacturers and the engine was installed 2 weeks prior to the accident. The engine had accumulated 14.6 hours since overhaul. Examination of the engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies. Examination of the fuel control servo revealed that a lock nut was no longer installed. The initial flow tests revealed a flow rate equivalent to idle cut off. When a test nut was installed, the unit flowed 'perfectly.' When questioned about the performance of the fuel servo and the engine with the outer nut no longer installed in the servo, the inspector stated, 'basically, what it does is it shuts off the fuel when that nut backs off. It's just like pulling it to idle cut off.'
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ENGINE FAILED IN FLIGHT. PILOT ATTEMPTED RESTART WITH NO SUCCESS. A/C SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED UPON LANDING. (.4)THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 7,500 FEET WITH THE ENGINE PRODUCING SATISFACTORY POWER. THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE SLOWLY AND SMOOTHLY LOST POWER OVER A 10-15 SECOND DURATION. THE ENGINE COMPLETELY LOST POWER OVER AN UNLIGHTED RURAL AREA AND THE PILOT STRUCK TREES AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING. EXAMINATION OF AIRCRAFT RECORDS REVEALED THE ENGINE AND THE FUEL CONTROL WERE OVERHAULED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE MANUFACTURERS AND THE ENGINE WAS INSTALLED 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 14.6 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL CONTROL SERVO REVEALED THAT A LOCK NUT WAS NO LONGER INSTALLED. THE INITIAL FLOW TESTS REVEALED A FLOW RATE EQUIVALENT TO IDLE CUT OFF. WHEN A TEST NUT WAS INSTALLED, THE UNIT FLOWED 'PERFECTLY.' WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE FUEL SERVO AND THE ENGINE WITH THE OUTER NUT NO LONGER INSTALLED IN THE SERVO, THE INSPECTOR STATED, 'BASICALLY, WHAT IT DOES IS IT SHUTS OFF THE FUEL WHEN THAT NUT BACKS OFF. IT'S JUST LIKE PULLING IT TO IDLE CUT OFF.'
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.