What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 30, 1999, at 0700 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Piper PA-28-181, N3889F, operated by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when the airplane's right wing struck a fence post, during a precautionary landing on a dirt road, 10 miles southwest of Hermosa, south dakota. Preceding the precautionary landing, the airplane experienced an intermittent loss of engine power while in cruise flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The ferry flight was being conducted under 14 CFR part 91. There was no flight plan on file. The pilot reported no injuries. A pilot-rated passenger, on board, received minor injuries. The cross-country flight originated at casper, Wyoming, and was en route to rapid city, south dakota. In his statement to a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot said that they were crossing the black hills near custer, south dakota, at 7,500 feet mean sea level (MSL), when the airplane's engine lost power. They regained engine power, then they lost power again. The power would go on and off. The pilot said that he elected to land the airplane on a dirt road. During the landing, the a irplane struck a fence post, spun around and stopped. (-23) see CHI99LA355
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1999, AT 0700 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME (MDT), A PIPER PA-28-181, N3889F, OPERATED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A FENCE POST, DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD, 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HERMOSA, SOUTH DAKOTA. PRECEDING THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING, THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED AN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FERRY FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN ON FILE. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. A PILOT-RATED PASSENGER, ON BOARD, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT CASPER, WYOMING, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA. IN HIS STATEMENT TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, THE PILOT SAID THAT THEY WERE CROSSING THE BLACK HILLS NEAR CUSTER, SOUTH DAKOTA, AT 7,500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL), WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST POWER. THEY REGAINED ENGINE POWER, THEN THEY LOST POWER AGAIN. THE POWER WOULD GO ON AND OFF. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE ON A DIRT ROAD. DURING THE LANDING, THE A IRPLANE STRUCK A FENCE POST, SPUN AROUND AND STOPPED. (-23) SEE CHI99LA355
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.