What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Engine coughed and lost power. Experienced trouble with leaning mixture just prior to loss of power. Lost directional control. Could not turn left, turned right to land in field and caught top of tree. Lost wind and spun into ground. 2 minor injuries.(.19) on January 16, 1999, at 0930 central standard times, a Piper PA-32-260, N3689W, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during a collision with trees and the ground while maneuvering for a forced landing. The airplane's engine experienced a total loss of power while at cruise altitude. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was operating on an IFR flight plan. The pilot and passenger reported minor injuries. The flight departed st. louis, Missouri, exact time unknown. (-23)at approximately 0930 CST on January 16, 1999, N3689W, a Piper PA-32-260, while on a personal flight conducted under instrument flight rules from spirit of st. louis airport (sus), st. louis, MO to nashville, TN (bna), experienced a power loss. The pilot attempted a forced landing near Creal Springs,IL. During the landing attempt, the aircraft struck some trees , de stroying the aircraft. The pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. A subsequent investigation could not determine a mechanical cause for the engine power loss.
As the FAA filed it
ENGINE COUGHED AND LOST POWER. EXPERIENCED TROUBLE WITH LEANING MIXTURE JUST PRIOR TO LOSS OF POWER. LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. COULD NOT TURN LEFT, TURNED RIGHT TO LAND IN FIELD AND CAUGHT TOP OF TREE. LOST WIND AND SPUN INTO GROUND. 2 MINOR INJURIES.(.19) ON JANUARY 16, 1999, AT 0930 CENTRAL STANDARD TIMES, A PIPER PA-32-260, N3689W, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS DESTROYED DURING A COLLISION WITH TREES AND THE GROUND WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE AT CRUISE ALTITUDE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER REPORTED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, EXACT TIME UNKNOWN. (-23)AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 CST ON JANUARY 16, 1999, N3689W, A PIPER PA-32-260, WHILE ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FROM SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS AIRPORT (SUS), ST. LOUIS, MO TO NASHVILLE, TN (BNA), EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING NEAR CREAL SPRINGS,IL. DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK SOME TREES , DE STROYING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. A SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION COULD NOT DETERMINE A MECHANICAL CAUSE FOR THE ENGINE POWER LOSS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3689W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.