What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 15, 2002, a Lancair 320, N83WS, enroute to Iola, Kansas for fuel, crashed while attempting to make a landing after the engine quit at 2200 feet, and approximately five miles north of the Iola airport. The flight was being operated on an IFR flight plan, under CFR, 14 part 91, and was enroute from hutchinson, Kansas, on the fourth leg of an extended cross country. The pilot reported he broke out of IMC conditions at approximately 2000 feet, gave up any additional attempts to restart the engine and picked a field to land in. The pilot left the landing gear in the up position, flew under a power line, and hit the ridge of a ditch in a near level attitude. The aircraft ended upside down 71 feet from the impact point. The aircraft broke apart and sustained extreme damage. The pilot received minor injuries, and exited the wreckage on his own.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 15, 2002, A LANCAIR 320, N83WS, ENROUTE TO IOLA, KANSAS FOR FUEL, CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT AT 2200 FEET, AND APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES NORTH OF THE IOLA AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN, UNDER CFR, 14 PART 91, AND WAS ENROUTE FROM HUTCHINSON, KANSAS, ON THE FOURTH LEG OF AN EXTENDED CROSS COUNTRY. THE PILOT REPORTED HE BROKE OUT OF IMC CONDITIONS AT APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET, GAVE UP ANY ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND PICKED A FIELD TO LAND IN. THE PILOT LEFT THE LANDING GEAR IN THE UP POSITION, FLEW UNDER A POWER LINE, AND HIT THE RIDGE OF A DITCH IN A NEAR LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT ENDED UPSIDE DOWN 71 FEET FROM THE IMPACT POINT. THE AIRCRAFT BROKE APART AND SUSTAINED EXTREME DAMAGE. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND EXITED THE WRECKAGE ON HIS OWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.