What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) While maneuvering at 2,500 feet MSL during the aerial observation flight for spotting wildfires, a total loss of engine power occurred. The pilot selected a field for the forced landing. Trees at the approach end of the landing area were estimated to be 120 feet high. While the pilot maneuvered the airplane to avoid the last tree, the airplane impacted the ground hard. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The engine had accumulated 743.7 hours since the last overhaul. Examination of the Continental O-200-A engine revealed that the #1 cylinder exhaust valve head separated from the valve stem. Impact marks on the piston head were consistent with the valve head penetrating the piston. Damage to the exhaust valve precluded a determination of the cause of the valve failure.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) WHILE MANEUVERING AT 2,500 FEET MSL DURING THE AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT FOR SPOTTING WILDFIRES, A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. THE PILOT SELECTED A FIELD FOR THE FORCED LANDING. TREES AT THE APPROACH END OF THE LANDING AREA WERE ESTIMATED TO BE 120 FEET HIGH. WHILE THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID THE LAST TREE, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND HARD. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 743.7 HOURS SINCE THE LAST OVERHAUL. EXAMINATION OF THE CONTINENTAL O-200-A ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE #1 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE HEAD SEPARATED FROM THE VALVE STEM. IMPACT MARKS ON THE PISTON HEAD WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE VALVE HEAD PENETRATING THE PISTON. DAMAGE TO THE EXHAUST VALVE PRECLUDED A DETERMINATION OF THE CAUSE OF THE VALVE FAILURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.