What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Instructor and student, age 65 and 66, were performing takeoffs and landings. Winds were light and weather was VFR. The student, whose medical was denied and was taking instructions pending review, was operating the controls from the left seat. The CFI occupied the right. On final the CFI instructed the student to add more power. There was a subsequent loss of power and the CFI then landed off field resulting in no injuries but substantial damage to the aircraft. The CFI noted that the ignition switch was in the off position after touchdown. Inspectors found left and right fuel tanks more than 1/2 full with the fuel selector on the left tank selection. Fuel sample appeared normal. A magnetic tool was found stuck on the engine side of the firewall, the tool was returned to the pilot. The aircraft had a total of 6 quarts showing on the dipstick. Airworthiness inspectors supervised an engine run after aircraft was removed to a hangar. Ignitor leads were found discolored and dirty. Hand propping showed observation of spark on top right cylinders. Leads were reinstalled and aircraft was started on first attempt and ran without malfunction. Last 100 hr inspection performed by PIC, an a/p, June 1, 2002.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT, AGE 65 AND 66, WERE PERFORMING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. WINDS WERE LIGHT AND WEATHER WAS VFR. THE STUDENT, WHOSE MEDICAL WAS DENIED AND WAS TAKING INSTRUCTIONS PENDING REVIEW, WAS OPERATING THE CONTROLS FROM THE LEFT SEAT. THE CFI OCCUPIED THE RIGHT. ON FINAL THE CFI INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO ADD MORE POWER. THERE WAS A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF POWER AND THE CFI THEN LANDED OFF FIELD RESULTING IN NO INJURIES BUT SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE CFI NOTED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION AFTER TOUCHDOWN. INSPECTORS FOUND LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS MORE THAN 1/2 FULL WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE LEFT TANK SELECTION. FUEL SAMPLE APPEARED NORMAL. A MAGNETIC TOOL WAS FOUND STUCK ON THE ENGINE SIDE OF THE FIREWALL, THE TOOL WAS RETURNED TO THE PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD A TOTAL OF 6 QUARTS SHOWING ON THE DIPSTICK. AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS SUPERVISED AN ENGINE RUN AFTER AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED TO A HANGAR. IGNITOR LEADS WERE FOUND DISCOLORED AND DIRTY. HAND PROPPING SHOWED OBSERVATION OF SPARK ON TOP RIGHT CYLINDERS. LEADS WERE REINSTALLED AND AIRCRAFT WAS STARTED ON FIRST ATTEMPT AND RAN WITHOUT MALFUNCTION. LAST 100 HR INSPECTION PERFORMED BY PIC, AN A/P, JUNE 1, 2002.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.