What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft engine failed, pilot made emerg landing, the acft sustained substantial damage on landing, no injuries. (.19) on may 31, 1998, about 1200 greenwich mean time, a Piper PA32-260, N3995W, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near nice, france. The certificated private pilot and four passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight which departed verona, italy, destined for bron, france. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91. In a telephone interview, the pilot said the flight progressed uneventfully for about 2 hours. While in cruise flight at about 12,000 feet, the engine RPM decreased and engine began to lose power. The pilot initiated an emergency check list which included the application of carburator heat, and switching fuel tanks. The engine continued to lose power and the pilot declared an emergency with air traffic control. The pilot was unable to restore engine power, and performed a forced landing to a field. The airplane's landing gear collapsed and the airplane's left wing spar was damaged. The p ilot reported about 1,500 hours of total flight experience, of which 200-250 hours were in make and model. This accident is under the jurisdiction of the government of france. Any further information pertaining to this accident can be obtained from: bureau enquetes-accidents, paris, france, this report is for informational purposes only. Addendum: on may 31, 1998, about 1045 greenwich mean time, a Piper PA-32-260, N3995W, was substantially damaged during a forced landing from cruise flight near Prignolet, france. The certificated private pilot/owner and four passengers were not injured. The investigation is being conducted by the french government. The investigator-in-charge is bernard boudou at telephone number: 33-1-49-92-72-60. Bureau enquetes-accidents (bea) batiment 153 aeroport du bourget 93352 le bourget cedex france.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT ENGINE FAILED, PILOT MADE EMERG LANDING, THE ACFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON LANDING, NO INJURIES. (.19) ON MAY 31, 1998, ABOUT 1200 GREENWICH MEAN TIME, A PIPER PA32-260, N3995W, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR NICE, FRANCE. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE FLIGHT WHICH DEPARTED VERONA, ITALY, DESTINED FOR BRON, FRANCE. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID THE FLIGHT PROGRESSED UNEVENTFULLY FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS. WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT ABOUT 12,000 FEET, THE ENGINE RPM DECREASED AND ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY CHECK LIST WHICH INCLUDED THE APPLICATION OF CARBURATOR HEAT, AND SWITCHING FUEL TANKS. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER AND THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE ENGINE POWER, AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD. THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING SPAR WAS DAMAGED. THE P ILOT REPORTED ABOUT 1,500 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, OF WHICH 200-250 HOURS WERE IN MAKE AND MODEL. THIS ACCIDENT IS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE. ANY FURTHER INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS ACCIDENT CAN BE OBTAINED FROM: BUREAU ENQUETES-ACCIDENTS, PARIS, FRANCE, THIS REPORT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. ADDENDUM: ON MAY 31, 1998, ABOUT 1045 GREENWICH MEAN TIME, A PIPER PA-32-260, N3995W, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FROM CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR PRIGNOLET, FRANCE. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER AND FOUR PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE INVESTIGATION IS BEING CONDUCTED BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT. THE INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE IS BERNARD BOUDOU AT TELEPHONE NUMBER: 33-1-49-92-72-60. BUREAU ENQUETES-ACCIDENTS (BEA) BATIMENT 153 AEROPORT DU BOURGET 93352 LE BOURGET CEDEX FRANCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.