What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 8/26/00 at 1858 hrs PDT, N888LH, an experimental RV-6 a/c was substantially damaged when the a/c lost engine power and struck a tree during an off-airport emergency landing while on approach to El Monte, CA. Airport (EMT). The private pilot and one passenger were no injured. The a/c was operated under FAR part 91. Visual conditions prevailed during flight that originated in bakersfield, CA. Subsequent investigaion revealed that the a/c had sufficient fuel on board for the flight from bkl to EMT and the a/c experienced substantial damage to right wing. Right wing spar, right wing fuel tank and nose gear. Pilot error is not suspected. This a/c has been determined to be a total loss by owners insurance company, and as such, the cause of teh engine shutdown could not be determined. The a/c airworthiness certificate was surrended to FAA and a/c data plate destroyed. The wreckage was released to owner on 9-19-00. (.4) on August 26, 2000, at 1800 hours pacific daylight time, an experimental fogerson RV-6A, N888LH, was substantially damaged when the aircraft lost engine power and struck a tree during an off-airport emergency landing whi le on landing approach to the El Monte, California airport. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. The owner operated the amateur built aircraft under 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight and no flight plan was filed. The personal flight originated at bakersfield, California, at 1645. The pilot reported that the flight was routine until on 2.5-mile final approach when he reduced engine power and raised the nose of the aircraft to slow to flap extension speed. He completed the landing checklist at the same time by setting the mixture control to the rich position, turning the fuel boost pump on and extending the flaps. When he restored engine power to stabilize the descent there was no response from the engine. He checked the mixture position, throttle position, fuel selector, and engaged the starter and lowered the nose of the aircraft; all to no avail. He identified an off-airport landing location, transmitted "mayday" to the tower, maintained flying airspeed, and landed. Postaccident examination did not reveal why the engine lost power.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 8/26/00 AT 1858 HRS PDT, N888LH, AN EXPERIMENTAL RV-6 A/C WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE A/C LOST ENGINE POWER AND STRUCK A TREE DURING AN OFF-AIRPORT EMERGENCY LANDING WHILE ON APPROACH TO EL MONTE, CA. AIRPORT (EMT). THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NO INJURED. THE A/C WAS OPERATED UNDER FAR PART 91. VISUAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED DURING FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED IN BAKERSFIELD, CA. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGAION REVEALED THAT THE A/C HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL ON BOARD FOR THE FLIGHT FROM BKL TO EMT AND THE A/C EXPERIENCED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO RIGHT WING. RIGHT WING SPAR, RIGHT WING FUEL TANK AND NOSE GEAR. PILOT ERROR IS NOT SUSPECTED. THIS A/C HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE A TOTAL LOSS BY OWNERS INSURANCE COMPANY, AND AS SUCH, THE CAUSE OF TEH ENGINE SHUTDOWN COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE A/C AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE WAS SURRENDED TO FAA AND A/C DATA PLATE DESTROYED. THE WRECKAGE WAS RELEASED TO OWNER ON 9-19-00. (.4) ON AUGUST 26, 2000, AT 1800 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL FOGERSON RV-6A, N888LH, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LOST ENGINE POWER AND STRUCK A TREE DURING AN OFF-AIRPORT EMERGENCY LANDING WHI LE ON LANDING APPROACH TO THE EL MONTE, CALIFORNIA AIRPORT. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE OWNER OPERATED THE AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, AT 1645. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS ROUTINE UNTIL ON 2.5-MILE FINAL APPROACH WHEN HE REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND RAISED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO SLOW TO FLAP EXTENSION SPEED. HE COMPLETED THE LANDING CHECKLIST AT THE SAME TIME BY SETTING THE MIXTURE CONTROL TO THE RICH POSITION, TURNING THE FUEL BOOST PUMP ON AND EXTENDING THE FLAPS. WHEN HE RESTORED ENGINE POWER TO STABILIZE THE DESCENT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE. HE CHECKED THE MIXTURE POSITION, THROTTLE POSITION, FUEL SELECTOR, AND ENGAGED THE STARTER AND LOWERED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT; ALL TO NO AVAIL. HE IDENTIFIED AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING LOCATION, TRANSMITTED "MAYDAY" TO THE TOWER, MAINTAINED FLYING AIRSPEED, AND LANDED. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL WHY THE ENGINE LOST POWER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.