What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On June 30, 2001, at 0930 eastern daylight time, a melenyk Genesis, N370E, was substantially damaged during an emergency landing following a total loss of engine power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot received no injuries and the passenger received minor injuries. The local flight originated from the Livingston County Airport, Howell, Michigan at 0850. (-23) the pilot, glen melenyk, and his son departed the Livingston County Airport (ozw), Howell, Michigan at 9 am for a local pleasure flight in his experimental aircraft N370E. He fueled the aircraft to 11.5 gallons of premium auto gas. The tank had a capacity of 12.5 gallons. At approximately 9:30 am over fowlerville, Michigan (approximately 8 miles west of ozw) at 2500 feet MSL the engine went to idle thrust. Prior to that time all engine indications were normal. RPM, water temperature, EGT, cylinder head temperature were within normal limits. At idle thrust of 4200 RPM, the aircraft could not sustaine straight and level flight. Mr. Melenyk began a descent toward the ozw airport. The engine was unresponsive to any throttle movement and switching ignition systems had no effect. At 1500' MSL (600' AGL), he realized that he could not make the airport and decided to land in a wheat field approximately 1 mile west of the airport. The winds were about 15-20 knots from the south and he landed downwind in a northeasterly direction. The wheat was about three feet in height. Upon touchdown the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft rolled over on its back. Mr. Melenyk and his son exited the aircraft and walked to the road nearby. Mr. Melenyk was unhurt and his son sutained a minor cut. The accident was investigated in the field and the aircraft was removed to the ozw airport. In subsequent investigation regarding loss of engine power, carburetor bowls were removed, throttle cable and carburetor slide both had free full movement, fuel pump removed and disassembled, all fuel hoses were looked at with no discrepancies in any area.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JUNE 30, 2001, AT 0930 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A MELENYK GENESIS, N370E, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT RECEIVED NO INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE LIVINGSTON COUNTY AIRPORT, HOWELL, MICHIGAN AT 0850. (-23) THE PILOT, GLEN MELENYK, AND HIS SON DEPARTED THE LIVINGSTON COUNTY AIRPORT (OZW), HOWELL, MICHIGAN AT 9 AM FOR A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT IN HIS EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT N370E. HE FUELED THE AIRCRAFT TO 11.5 GALLONS OF PREMIUM AUTO GAS. THE TANK HAD A CAPACITY OF 12.5 GALLONS. AT APPROXIMATELY 9:30 AM OVER FOWLERVILLE, MICHIGAN (APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES WEST OF OZW) AT 2500 FEET MSL THE ENGINE WENT TO IDLE THRUST. PRIOR TO THAT TIME ALL ENGINE INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. RPM, WATER TEMPERATURE, EGT, CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE WERE WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS. AT IDLE THRUST OF 4200 RPM, THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT SUSTAINE STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT. MR. MELENYK BEGAN A DESCENT TOWARD THE OZW AIRPORT. THE ENGINE WAS UNRESPONSIVE TO ANY THROTTLE MOVEMENT AND SWITCHING IGNITION SYSTEMS HAD NO EFFECT. AT 1500' MSL (600' AGL), HE REALIZED THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT AND DECIDED TO LAND IN A WHEAT FIELD APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE WEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE WINDS WERE ABOUT 15-20 KNOTS FROM THE SOUTH AND HE LANDED DOWNWIND IN A NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION. THE WHEAT WAS ABOUT THREE FEET IN HEIGHT. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER ON ITS BACK. MR. MELENYK AND HIS SON EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND WALKED TO THE ROAD NEARBY. MR. MELENYK WAS UNHURT AND HIS SON SUTAINED A MINOR CUT. THE ACCIDENT WAS INVESTIGATED IN THE FIELD AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED TO THE OZW AIRPORT. IN SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REGARDING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, CARBURETOR BOWLS WERE REMOVED, THROTTLE CABLE AND CARBURETOR SLIDE BOTH HAD FREE FULL MOVEMENT, FUEL PUMP REMOVED AND DISASSEMBLED, ALL FUEL HOSES WERE LOOKED AT WITH NO DISCREPANCIES IN ANY AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.