What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The pilot said that he was flying to the north around 20 feet above the ground, when the engine quit. 'There was no sputtering or warning. It just quit.' The pilot checked the throttle and pulled on the flaps to slow the airplane. 'There was no place to land, so I went into some trees and hit a ditch which flipped me over.' Examination of the airplane's engine revealed that the bottom spark plugs were lead-fouled, and rusted. Examination of the other airplane systems revealed no anomalies. Further examination of the engine revealed that the fuel strainer filter was clogged with debris identified as dirt and rust. An examination of the airplane's maintenance records showed that several airworthiness directives applicable to the airplane had not been complied with. Additionally, several airplane system items requiring annual inspection under 14 CFR part 43 had not been accomplished. (-23)pilot was on last spray run, started to make turn, engine suddendly lost, power made emergency landing, airplane hit berm,then brush pile, then rut in field and over turned, causing substantial damage to airplane. Pilot was not wearing safety helmet and sustained cut on head. Post accident investigation revealed fuel starvation due to dirt and debris in fuel filter and screen.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS FLYING TO THE NORTH AROUND 20 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. 'THERE WAS NO SPUTTERING OR WARNING. IT JUST QUIT.' THE PILOT CHECKED THE THROTTLE AND PULLED ON THE FLAPS TO SLOW THE AIRPLANE. 'THERE WAS NO PLACE TO LAND, SO I WENT INTO SOME TREES AND HIT A DITCH WHICH FLIPPED ME OVER.' EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE BOTTOM SPARK PLUGS WERE LEAD-FOULED, AND RUSTED. EXAMINATION OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE SYSTEMS REVEALED NO ANOMALIES. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL STRAINER FILTER WAS CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS IDENTIFIED AS DIRT AND RUST. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOWED THAT SEVERAL AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES APPLICABLE TO THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH. ADDITIONALLY, SEVERAL AIRPLANE SYSTEM ITEMS REQUIRING ANNUAL INSPECTION UNDER 14 CFR PART 43 HAD NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. (-23)PILOT WAS ON LAST SPRAY RUN, STARTED TO MAKE TURN, ENGINE SUDDENDLY LOST, POWER MADE EMERGENCY LANDING, AIRPLANE HIT BERM,THEN BRUSH PILE, THEN RUT IN FIELD AND OVER TURNED, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRPLANE. PILOT WAS NOT WEARING SAFETY HELMET AND SUSTAINED CUT ON HEAD. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED FUEL STARVATION DUE TO DIRT AND DEBRIS IN FUEL FILTER AND SCREEN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.