What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Collided with ground VFR in IMC. Spatial disorientation indicated. (.4)the pilot said he was about 7-miles from his home airport when the '...engine began to run rough and quit.' He said he attempted to restart the engine without success. After he picked out a field for a forced landing the pilot said the engine restarted and ran rough. He said the '...prop was windmilling and the engine started sputtering just before touchdown...' On a snow-covered field. The on-scene investigation revealed no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe that would prevent flight. No evidence of fuel was found in the fuel tanks, on the ground near the airplane, the fuel servo, fuel manifold, or injector ports. The throttle arm was found in the 'closed' position on the throttle body. (-23) on January 18, 1998, at approximately 2000 CST, Piper PA-28RT-201T, N8277W., piloted by PIC david f. ecton, the sole occupant on board, was destroyed during a collision with the ground following unknown circumstances. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. IMC conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot was seriously injured.
As the FAA filed it
COLLIDED WITH GROUND VFR IN IMC. SPATIAL DISORIENTATION INDICATED. (.4)THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ABOUT 7-MILES FROM HIS HOME AIRPORT WHEN THE '...ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND QUIT.' HE SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE WITHOUT SUCCESS. AFTER HE PICKED OUT A FIELD FOR A FORCED LANDING THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND RAN ROUGH. HE SAID THE '...PROP WAS WINDMILLING AND THE ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN...' ON A SNOW-COVERED FIELD. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME THAT WOULD PREVENT FLIGHT. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS, ON THE GROUND NEAR THE AIRPLANE, THE FUEL SERVO, FUEL MANIFOLD, OR INJECTOR PORTS. THE THROTTLE ARM WAS FOUND IN THE 'CLOSED' POSITION ON THE THROTTLE BODY. (-23) ON JANUARY 18, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 2000 CST, PIPER PA-28RT-201T, N8277W., PILOTED BY PIC DAVID F. ECTON, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ON BOARD, WAS DESTROYED DURING A COLLISION WITH THE GROUND FOLLOWING UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. IMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.