What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(Tty) VFR training, acft had recovered from a stall, lost power, forced landed in cornfield. (.19) on August 15, 1999, at 1200 central daylight time, a Beech G35, N4473D, collided with the ground during an attempted forced landing eight miles southwest of Columbus, Mississippi. The instructional flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged. The certified flight instructor, and the private pilot was not injured. The local flight departed lowndes county airport in Columbus, Mississippi, at 1130. According to the pilot, the flight departed Columbus and flew to an upper air training area. The pilot report that while practicing the stall series, the engine lost power. The pilot selected a nearby corn field for an emergency landing. (.4)the pilot completed a preflight inspection of the airplane and the airplane had been topped-off with aviation fuel. During the engine run-up, all systems reportedly operated normally, and no obvious engine problems were noted. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the pilot report that while practicing the stall series, the engine lost power. After attempts to regain full engine power, the flight instructor took control of the airplane and made a forced landing to a corn field. During the post-accident examination of the airplane, a substantial amount of fuel was observed in the fuel system. The examination also disclosed that there was no fuel present in the fuel flow divider. The engine examination failed to disclose a mechanical problem with the engine. However, the examination of the airplane revealed that a lawn mower battery was installed in the airplane. According to the pilot, an annual inspection had been completed by the previous owner several days before the purchase.
As the FAA filed it
(TTY) VFR TRAINING, ACFT HAD RECOVERED FROM A STALL, LOST POWER, FORCED LANDED IN CORNFIELD. (.19) ON AUGUST 15, 1999, AT 1200 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH G35, N4473D, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING AN ATTEMPTED FORCED LANDING EIGHT MILES SOUTHWEST OF COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI. THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, AND THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED LOWNDES COUNTY AIRPORT IN COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI, AT 1130. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE FLIGHT DEPARTED COLUMBUS AND FLEW TO AN UPPER AIR TRAINING AREA. THE PILOT REPORT THAT WHILE PRACTICING THE STALL SERIES, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT SELECTED A NEARBY CORN FIELD FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. (.4)THE PILOT COMPLETED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE AND THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN TOPPED-OFF WITH AVIATION FUEL. DURING THE ENGINE RUN-UP, ALL SYSTEMS REPORTEDLY OPERATED NORMALLY, AND NO OBVIOUS ENGINE PROBLEMS WERE NOTED. APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORT THAT WHILE PRACTICING THE STALL SERIES, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AFTER ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN FULL ENGINE POWER, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND MADE A FORCED LANDING TO A CORN FIELD. DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE, A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS OBSERVED IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE EXAMINATION ALSO DISCLOSED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL PRESENT IN THE FUEL FLOW DIVIDER. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. HOWEVER, THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT A LAWN MOWER BATTERY WAS INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AN ANNUAL INSPECTION HAD BEEN COMPLETED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE PURCHASE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.