What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot attempted to extend his flare & touchdown by a slight addition of power. Pilot reported hearing a "backfire" sound and no increase in engine power. After a quick scan of his instruments, he noticed the a/c yawing slightly to the left. Aircraft was unresponsive to rudder correction, so he again applied an increase in throttle. Engine did not immediately respond to his second increase in throttle & the rudder was still unresponsive to input. Suddenly, the engine regained power (now after two increases in throttle position.) The nose yawed more to the left, putting the a/c on a course toward a 4' fence. In an effort to avoid the fence, pilot pulled the nose of the aircraft up. The aircraft went over the fence, contacted the ground sharply on the left wingtip, then contacted heavily on the nose. When the fuselage struck the ground, the aircraft had rotated approx. 285 degrees from its original heading and started moving backward for approx.60 yds, striking trees at the edge of a small ravine. Witness on the ground reports hearing a "gunshot" sound come from a/c.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND HIS FLARE & TOUCHDOWN BY A SLIGHT ADDITION OF POWER. PILOT REPORTED HEARING A "BACKFIRE" SOUND AND NO INCREASE IN ENGINE POWER. AFTER A QUICK SCAN OF HIS INSTRUMENTS, HE NOTICED THE A/C YAWING SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. AIRCRAFT WAS UNRESPONSIVE TO RUDDER CORRECTION, SO HE AGAIN APPLIED AN INCREASE IN THROTTLE. ENGINE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO HIS SECOND INCREASE IN THROTTLE & THE RUDDER WAS STILL UNRESPONSIVE TO INPUT. SUDDENLY, THE ENGINE REGAINED POWER (NOW AFTER TWO INCREASES IN THROTTLE POSITION.) THE NOSE YAWED MORE TO THE LEFT, PUTTING THE A/C ON A COURSE TOWARD A 4' FENCE. IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID THE FENCE, PILOT PULLED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT UP. THE AIRCRAFT WENT OVER THE FENCE, CONTACTED THE GROUND SHARPLY ON THE LEFT WINGTIP, THEN CONTACTED HEAVILY ON THE NOSE. WHEN THE FUSELAGE STRUCK THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT HAD ROTATED APPROX. 285 DEGREES FROM ITS ORIGINAL HEADING AND STARTED MOVING BACKWARD FOR APPROX.60 YDS, STRIKING TREES AT THE EDGE OF A SMALL RAVINE. WITNESS ON THE GROUND REPORTS HEARING A "GUNSHOT" SOUND COME FROM A/C.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.