What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On August 3, 1998, at 1330 eastern daylight time (EDT), a Piper PA-28R-200, N4596T, piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during an off-airport forced landing following a total loss of power while in cruise flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The flight departed lafayette, Indiana, at 1320 EDT. (-23) on August 3, 1998, at approximately 1730 UTC, a Piper arrow, N4596T, with a pilot and one passenger aboard experienced a loss of power and made a forced landing in an open field near Frankfort, IN. While attempting to maneuver the aircraft to the chosen emergency landing site, the landing gear lowered due to activation of the automatic gear system, and the pilot had to divert to an alternate site because of the increased sink rate. On the approach to the field, the main gear contacted a power line. The aircraft touched down approximately 50 yards south of the power line (perpendicular to newcastle road frankfor, IN), continued on a southerly direction, and c AME to rest on a northeasterly heading roughly 75 yards from the point of touchdown. The left main gear was found along the path from the touchdown point to the aircraft approximately 40 yards north of the aircraft. The nose and right main gear were found collapsed under the aircraft. The aircraft was substantially damaged; however, the pilot and passenger did not sustain any injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON AUGUST 3, 1998, AT 1330 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A PIPER PA-28R-200, N4596T, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN OFF-AIRPORT FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED LAFAYETTE, INDIANA, AT 1320 EDT. (-23) ON AUGUST 3, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 1730 UTC, A PIPER ARROW, N4596T, WITH A PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ABOARD EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD NEAR FRANKFORT, IN. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT TO THE CHOSEN EMERGENCY LANDING SITE, THE LANDING GEAR LOWERED DUE TO ACTIVATION OF THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SYSTEM, AND THE PILOT HAD TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE SITE BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED SINK RATE. ON THE APPROACH TO THE FIELD, THE MAIN GEAR CONTACTED A POWER LINE. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS SOUTH OF THE POWER LINE (PERPENDICULAR TO NEWCASTLE ROAD FRANKFOR, IN), CONTINUED ON A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION, AND C AME TO REST ON A NORTHEASTERLY HEADING ROUGHLY 75 YARDS FROM THE POINT OF TOUCHDOWN. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WAS FOUND ALONG THE PATH FROM THE TOUCHDOWN POINT TO THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 40 YARDS NORTH OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR WERE FOUND COLLAPSED UNDER THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED; HOWEVER, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.