What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) Witnesses observed the airplane maneuvering at a low altitude with black smoke coming from the engine. During landing toward the southwest on state highway 21, at the intersection of farm road 1624, the airplane went under the power lines which span state highway 21 striking the lower wire, and continued under the flashing traffic signal lights which also span state highway 21. The airplane's right wing tip impacted a stop sign. The airplane touched down and bounced, veered to the right, and then impacted a convenience store's gasoline pumps. The airplane exploded into flames and was consumed by the post crash fire. Examination of the engine revealed that the #3 cylinder exhaust valve rocker arm fulcrum was displaced, and the rocker arm retaining stud could be turned by hand. The tapped hole in the cylinder head for the exhaust rocker arm retaining sud did not conform to blueprint specifications. There was also evidence which indicated a probable recent maintenance activity on the #3 cylinder. The aircraft's operator could not locate the airplane's airframe and engine logbooks. (-23) witnesses stated that the engine was smoking and flying very low. Air craft attempted to land on highway 21 west. The right wing contacted a large (approx. 4') stop sign with the right wing turning the aircraft to the right - landed hard and bounced into (3) fuel pumps and burned.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE MANEUVERING AT A LOW ALTITUDE WITH BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. DURING LANDING TOWARD THE SOUTHWEST ON STATE HIGHWAY 21, AT THE INTERSECTION OF FARM ROAD 1624, THE AIRPLANE WENT UNDER THE POWER LINES WHICH SPAN STATE HIGHWAY 21 STRIKING THE LOWER WIRE, AND CONTINUED UNDER THE FLASHING TRAFFIC SIGNAL LIGHTS WHICH ALSO SPAN STATE HIGHWAY 21. THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING TIP IMPACTED A STOP SIGN. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN AND BOUNCED, VEERED TO THE RIGHT, AND THEN IMPACTED A CONVENIENCE STORE'S GASOLINE PUMPS. THE AIRPLANE EXPLODED INTO FLAMES AND WAS CONSUMED BY THE POST CRASH FIRE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE #3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE ROCKER ARM FULCRUM WAS DISPLACED, AND THE ROCKER ARM RETAINING STUD COULD BE TURNED BY HAND. THE TAPPED HOLE IN THE CYLINDER HEAD FOR THE EXHAUST ROCKER ARM RETAINING SUD DID NOT CONFORM TO BLUEPRINT SPECIFICATIONS. THERE WAS ALSO EVIDENCE WHICH INDICATED A PROBABLE RECENT MAINTENANCE ACTIVITY ON THE #3 CYLINDER. THE AIRCRAFT'S OPERATOR COULD NOT LOCATE THE AIRPLANE'S AIRFRAME AND ENGINE LOGBOOKS. (-23) WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS SMOKING AND FLYING VERY LOW. AIR CRAFT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON HIGHWAY 21 WEST. THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED A LARGE (APPROX. 4') STOP SIGN WITH THE RIGHT WING TURNING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT - LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED INTO (3) FUEL PUMPS AND BURNED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.