What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-19) On March 3, 2001, at 0930 hours pacific standard time, an experimental christian rans S-12, N12FC, was substantially damaged when it struck a tree during a forced landing in a ravine following a loss of engine power approx. 4 nautical miles east of the Ramona, CA., airport. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the flight, which was conducted by the owner under 14 CFR part 91. The aircraft departed barona, an unchartered private airstrip at 0915, and no flight plan was filed. According to the pilot, the engine quit while in cruise flight. He attempted to land in a small canyon, or ravine area, and was unable to avoid a single tree that was directly in front of him in the center of the ravine. (-23) while operating under VMC during a local pilot proficiency flight the pilot stated the a/c lost power. During the emergency off-airport landing the pilot was unable to avoid a tree directly in front of him. The a/c was substantially damaged. The pilot believes that a cylinder may have lost compression due to piston ring failure, an m or d form will follow. (.4) according to the pilot, the engine lost power while in cruise flight. He attempted to land in a small canyon, or ravine area, and was unable to avoid a single tree that was directly in front of him in the center of the ravine. The left wing struck the tree and the right wing was bent when it struck the ground. The pilot, who is also the builder of the airplane, inspected the engine and found a broken crankshaft at the number 1 piston rod attach point. The engine had oil and no other anomalies were observed. The pilot reported that the engine was overhauled 20 hours prior to the accident. The manufacturer of the engine stated that the engine life for this model is 300 hours or 5 years. The engine in the accident airplane was manufactured on March 10, 1991. The manufacturer said they have no service history of crankshaft failures in this particular model engine. The crankshaft is required to be replaced at each overhaul. The engine was overhauled at a facility that only provides engines for ultralight aircraft. The owner of the facility stated that he does not approve of the use of his engines in certified airplanes. He said he recalled overhauling this engine but could not remember the date, and does not believe the crankshaft was replaced. The crankshaft was not provided for metallurgical examination.
As the FAA filed it
(-19) ON MARCH 3, 2001, AT 0930 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL CHRISTIAN RANS S-12, N12FC, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK A TREE DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A RAVINE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER APPROX. 4 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF THE RAMONA, CA., AIRPORT. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED DURING THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED BY THE OWNER UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BARONA, AN UNCHARTERED PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AT 0915, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A SMALL CANYON, OR RAVINE AREA, AND WAS UNABLE TO AVOID A SINGLE TREE THAT WAS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIM IN THE CENTER OF THE RAVINE. (-23) WHILE OPERATING UNDER VMC DURING A LOCAL PILOT PROFICIENCY FLIGHT THE PILOT STATED THE A/C LOST POWER. DURING THE EMERGENCY OFF-AIRPORT LANDING THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID A TREE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIM. THE A/C WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT BELIEVES THAT A CYLINDER MAY HAVE LOST COMPRESSION DUE TO PISTON RING FAILURE, AN M OR D FORM WILL FOLLOW. (.4) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A SMALL CANYON, OR RAVINE AREA, AND WAS UNABLE TO AVOID A SINGLE TREE THAT WAS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIM IN THE CENTER OF THE RAVINE. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE TREE AND THE RIGHT WING WAS BENT WHEN IT STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT, WHO IS ALSO THE BUILDER OF THE AIRPLANE, INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND FOUND A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT AT THE NUMBER 1 PISTON ROD ATTACH POINT. THE ENGINE HAD OIL AND NO OTHER ANOMALIES WERE OBSERVED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED 20 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE ENGINE STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIFE FOR THIS MODEL IS 300 HOURS OR 5 YEARS. THE ENGINE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS MANUFACTURED ON MARCH 10, 1991. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THEY HAVE NO SERVICE HISTORY OF CRANKSHAFT FAILURES IN THIS PARTICULAR MODEL ENGINE. THE CRANKSHAFT IS REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED AT EACH OVERHAUL. THE ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED AT A FACILITY THAT ONLY PROVIDES ENGINES FOR ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT. THE OWNER OF THE FACILITY STATED THAT HE DOES NOT APPROVE OF THE USE OF HIS ENGINES IN CERTIFIED AIRPLANES. HE SAID HE RECALLED OVERHAULING THIS ENGINE BUT COULD NOT REMEMBER THE DATE, AND DOES NOT BELIEVE THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REPLACED. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS NOT PROVIDED FOR METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.