What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)On July 6, 1999, about 0815 hours PDT, a Piper PA-28-181, N3477Q, operated by cal coast flyers, inc. was substantially damaged during a forced landing near San Luis Obispo, CA. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss of engine power during the climb to cruise phase. Neither the certified flight instructor nor the student pilot was injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at both the departure airport and the accident site. The instructor had received an instrument clearance for an IFR climb to VFR conditions on top. The cross-country instructional flight, conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 departed at 0800 and was enroute to santa monica, CA. After reaching VFR on top, about 1,800 feet MSL, the instructor reported that he applied carburetor heat to the engine. At that point, the engine revolutions decreased to 1,800 and then to 1,500 RPM. The instructor was unsuccessful in restoring full engine power, and the power output was insufficient to maintain altitude. He then descended through the stratus cloud deck, broke out at 700-800 feet MSL, and landed in an open field. During the landing roll, the a/c collided with ground obstructions. Examination of the engine by the FAA inspector from the san jose flight standards district office revealed a fibrous material contaminating the inside of the carburetor throat. Further examinations of the induction system revealed a burned and torn carburetor inlet hose. The last maintenance inspection of the engine on this rental a/c occurred 50 hours prior to the accident. (-23)the pilot said after departing the airport, IFR, on the wynnr one departure from sbp, the aircraft was on top of the overcast at 1600-1800 feet MSL. He said at that altitude the engine experienced an uncommanded power loss, reducing to 1800 RPM. The pilot said he lowered the nose and descended back inot the overcast, and declared an emergency. The pilot stated he was in VMC at approximately 800 feet MSL. He said he applied carburetor heat, adjusted mixture, switched fuel tanks, and checked magnetos in an attempt to restore power. He said the engine continued to lose power, reducing to 1400 RPM. The pilot stated when he was unable to "stretch" the glide back to the airport, he turned 180 degrees, making an approach to safflower fi eld, southeast of the airport. He said during the landing the wingtip was damaged when it struck a safflower plant, turning the aircraft 90 degrees and damaging the nose gear.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)ON JULY 6, 1999, ABOUT 0815 HOURS PDT, A PIPER PA-28-181, N3477Q, OPERATED BY CAL COAST FLYERS, INC. WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA. THE FORCED LANDING WAS PRECIPITATED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING THE CLIMB TO CRUISE PHASE. NEITHER THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR NOR THE STUDENT PILOT WAS INJURED. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT BOTH THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE INSTRUCTOR HAD RECEIVED AN INSTRUMENT CLEARANCE FOR AN IFR CLIMB TO VFR CONDITIONS ON TOP. THE CROSS-COUNTRY INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 DEPARTED AT 0800 AND WAS ENROUTE TO SANTA MONICA, CA. AFTER REACHING VFR ON TOP, ABOUT 1,800 FEET MSL, THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT TO THE ENGINE. AT THAT POINT, THE ENGINE REVOLUTIONS DECREASED TO 1,800 AND THEN TO 1,500 RPM. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN RESTORING FULL ENGINE POWER, AND THE POWER OUTPUT WAS INSUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. HE THEN DESCENDED THROUGH THE STRATUS CLOUD DECK, BROKE OUT AT 700-800 FEET MSL, AND LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE A/C COLLIDED WITH GROUND OBSTRUCTIONS. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY THE FAA INSPECTOR FROM THE SAN JOSE FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE REVEALED A FIBROUS MATERIAL CONTAMINATING THE INSIDE OF THE CARBURETOR THROAT. FURTHER EXAMINATIONS OF THE INDUCTION SYSTEM REVEALED A BURNED AND TORN CARBURETOR INLET HOSE. THE LAST MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE ON THIS RENTAL A/C OCCURRED 50 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. (-23)THE PILOT SAID AFTER DEPARTING THE AIRPORT, IFR, ON THE WYNNR ONE DEPARTURE FROM SBP, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON TOP OF THE OVERCAST AT 1600-1800 FEET MSL. HE SAID AT THAT ALTITUDE THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED POWER LOSS, REDUCING TO 1800 RPM. THE PILOT SAID HE LOWERED THE NOSE AND DESCENDED BACK INOT THE OVERCAST, AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS IN VMC AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET MSL. HE SAID HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, ADJUSTED MIXTURE, SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, AND CHECKED MAGNETOS IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESTORE POWER. HE SAID THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER, REDUCING TO 1400 RPM. THE PILOT STATED WHEN HE WAS UNABLE TO "STRETCH" THE GLIDE BACK TO THE AIRPORT, HE TURNED 180 DEGREES, MAKING AN APPROACH TO SAFFLOWER FI ELD, SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. HE SAID DURING THE LANDING THE WINGTIP WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK A SAFFLOWER PLANT, TURNING THE AIRCRAFT 90 DEGREES AND DAMAGING THE NOSE GEAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.