What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N7878N departed sebring airport with the student flying a VFR cross-country to patrick air force base at 2000'. At about 20 minutes into the flihgt the pilots noticed oil on the windscreen. Seconds later the engine lost power (reason for power loss was never determined by NTSB "unknown") and the instructor took over. After several radio calls the instructor decided to land in the open field behind the aircraft. From an altitude of 1200' and a glide speed of 85 mph he made two 90-angle right turns and landed straight ahead. He maintained 85 mph until the flare. On touchdown, the aircraft rolled out about 400' hit a berm launched back into the air and travel 65' where it impacted another brim and the nose wheel was torn off. The aircraft then went airborne again for another 5' and landed on the nose where it dug a trench 6" deep. Total distance from hitting the first brim until the aircraft came to rest was 108'.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N7878N DEPARTED SEBRING AIRPORT WITH THE STUDENT FLYING A VFR CROSS-COUNTRY TO PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE AT 2000'. AT ABOUT 20 MINUTES INTO THE FLIHGT THE PILOTS NOTICED OIL ON THE WINDSCREEN. SECONDS LATER THE ENGINE LOST POWER (REASON FOR POWER LOSS WAS NEVER DETERMINED BY NTSB "UNKNOWN") AND THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER. AFTER SEVERAL RADIO CALLS THE INSTRUCTOR DECIDED TO LAND IN THE OPEN FIELD BEHIND THE AIRCRAFT. FROM AN ALTITUDE OF 1200' AND A GLIDE SPEED OF 85 MPH HE MADE TWO 90-ANGLE RIGHT TURNS AND LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD. HE MAINTAINED 85 MPH UNTIL THE FLARE. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OUT ABOUT 400' HIT A BERM LAUNCHED BACK INTO THE AIR AND TRAVEL 65' WHERE IT IMPACTED ANOTHER BRIM AND THE NOSE WHEEL WAS TORN OFF. THE AIRCRAFT THEN WENT AIRBORNE AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 5' AND LANDED ON THE NOSE WHERE IT DUG A TRENCH 6" DEEP. TOTAL DISTANCE FROM HITTING THE FIRST BRIM UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST WAS 108'.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.