What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft lost power and attempted to land at the nearest arpt, did not make it, landed on a grass strip. (-23) weather slightly overcast - 4500 clear below that; engine was ground run after accident and all indications were normal except for rough idling. Carburetor was removed for testing. J & g carburetor found idle adjustment was not normal. However, cause of engine failure and accident was not determined. (-4)while at 2,000 feet MSL, the aircraft's engine RPM decreased to idle, then surged several times, and then went to idle. The pilot 'put full mixture and full prop,' and 'retarded [the] throttle and [then] powered [it] back up.' He then 'switched fuel tanks but nothing made any difference.' He saw a private airstrip entered a left downwind for a north landing. During the landing roll he applied the brakes, and the aircraft 'seemed to skid and go faster.' The aircraft overran the departure end of the 1,960 foot wet grass runway, went through a fence, and the left wing impacted a tree. The aircraft came to a stop about 150 feet beyond the tree with the engine still operating at idle. On March 17, 1998, the engine while still in the aircraft, was started and run. According to the engine manufacturer's representative, 'the engine ran normally, except at idle where it was very rough.' The carburetor was removed from the engine and a teardown inspection was conducted on March 20, 1998. No anomalies were noted.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT LOST POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT THE NEAREST ARPT, DID NOT MAKE IT, LANDED ON A GRASS STRIP. (-23) WEATHER SLIGHTLY OVERCAST - 4500 CLEAR BELOW THAT; ENGINE WAS GROUND RUN AFTER ACCIDENT AND ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL EXCEPT FOR ROUGH IDLING. CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED FOR TESTING. J & G CARBURETOR FOUND IDLE ADJUSTMENT WAS NOT NORMAL. HOWEVER, CAUSE OF ENGINE FAILURE AND ACCIDENT WAS NOT DETERMINED. (-4)WHILE AT 2,000 FEET MSL, THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE RPM DECREASED TO IDLE, THEN SURGED SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEN WENT TO IDLE. THE PILOT 'PUT FULL MIXTURE AND FULL PROP,' AND 'RETARDED [THE] THROTTLE AND [THEN] POWERED [IT] BACK UP.' HE THEN 'SWITCHED FUEL TANKS BUT NOTHING MADE ANY DIFFERENCE.' HE SAW A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR A NORTH LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLL HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE AIRCRAFT 'SEEMED TO SKID AND GO FASTER.' THE AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE DEPARTURE END OF THE 1,960 FOOT WET GRASS RUNWAY, WENT THROUGH A FENCE, AND THE LEFT WING IMPACTED A TREE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP ABOUT 150 FEET BEYOND THE TREE WITH THE ENGINE STILL OPERATING AT IDLE. ON MARCH 17, 1998, THE ENGINE WHILE STILL IN THE AIRCRAFT, WAS STARTED AND RUN. ACCORDING TO THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE, 'THE ENGINE RAN NORMALLY, EXCEPT AT IDLE WHERE IT WAS VERY ROUGH.' THE CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED FROM THE ENGINE AND A TEARDOWN INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED ON MARCH 20, 1998. NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.