What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 07/11/98 at 0925 CDT, Sonerai ii-l, N317WM owned an operated by karl vollmers was substantially damaged during a pleasure flight from hawley, MN to Bismarck, ND. A forced landing was attempted due to an engine failure. The aircraft touched down on a gravel road and immediately went into the ditch coming to rest inverted 360 ft. from touchdown. The canopy fractured and frame bent, a longeron on left side of fuselage fractured, vertical fin, rudder, cowling received buckling damage, the landing gear bent and sprung. The private pilot sustained minor injury.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 07/11/98 AT 0925 CDT, SONERAI II-L, N317WM OWNED AN OPERATED BY KARL VOLLMERS WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A PLEASURE FLIGHT FROM HAWLEY, MN TO BISMARCK, ND. A FORCED LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED DUE TO AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON A GRAVEL ROAD AND IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO THE DITCH COMING TO REST INVERTED 360 FT. FROM TOUCHDOWN. THE CANOPY FRACTURED AND FRAME BENT, A LONGERON ON LEFT SIDE OF FUSELAGE FRACTURED, VERTICAL FIN, RUDDER, COWLING RECEIVED BUCKLING DAMAGE, THE LANDING GEAR BENT AND SPRUNG. THE PRIVATE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.