What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On December 4, 2002, about 1300 eastern standard time, an Ercoupe 415-CD, canadian registry c-fxjk, was substantially damaged following a total loss of engine power during cruise flight, and a subsequent forced landing to a field in Dalton, Massachusetts. The foreign certificated pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed floyd bennett memorial airport (gfl), glens falls, new york; destined for chester airport (3B9), chester, Connecticut. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. According to a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot reported that he had planned to fly from Canada to 3B9, to sell the airplane. The pilot initially stopped in ogdensburg, new york, then proceeded to gfl. While at gfl, the pilot added 5 gallons of 100LL aviation gasoline to the airplane, and departed about 1200. About 1230, at 4,000 feet MSL, the engine began to run rough. The pilot primed the engine while looking for a suitable landing strip. The engine eventually lost all power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane struck uneven terrain and skidded sideways. The airplane came to rest upright, but the left wing, nose gear, and fuselage were damaged. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fluid inside the gascolator had frozen. The FAA inspector added that although the pilot added 5 gallons of 100LL at gfl, he originally departed Canada with automobile gasoline. The reported temperature at an airport approximately 5 miles west of the accident site, at 1254, was 22 degrees f.(-23) on December 4, 2002 at approximately 1300 eastern standard time, an Ercoupe 415-CD, canadian registry c-fxjk incurred substantial damage following a loss of engine power during cruise flight. A forced landing was made at an open field in Dalton, Massachusetts. The aircraft landed on uneven terrain and slid sideways coming to rest in an upright position, however substantial damage was observed to the left wing and nose gear area of the fuselage which had buckling on left and right sides just aft of firewall. The canadian certificated pilot was not injured. The flight had departed from floyd bennett memorial airport (gfl) glens falls new york; with a planned destination for chester aiport (39B) chester, Connecticut. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The aircraft originally departed Canada with automotive gasoline on board, and 5 gallons of 100 low lead was added at glens fall new york. Departing glen falls the aircraft flew for approximately 30 minutes before the engine ran rough, altitude about 4000 feet, heading in a south easterly direction. The pilot primed the engine to keep it running until suitable area for landing was located. privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON DECEMBER 4, 2002, ABOUT 1300 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AN ERCOUPE 415-CD, CANADIAN REGISTRY C-FXJK, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, AND A SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD IN DALTON, MASSACHUSETTS. THE FOREIGN CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED FLOYD BENNETT MEMORIAL AIRPORT (GFL), GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK; DESTINED FOR CHESTER AIRPORT (3B9), CHESTER, CONNECTICUT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD PLANNED TO FLY FROM CANADA TO 3B9, TO SELL THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT INITIALLY STOPPED IN OGDENSBURG, NEW YORK, THEN PROCEEDED TO GFL. WHILE AT GFL, THE PILOT ADDED 5 GALLONS OF 100LL AVIATION GASOLINE TO THE AIRPLANE, AND DEPARTED ABOUT 1200. ABOUT 1230, AT 4,000 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT PRIMED THE ENGINE WHILE LOOKING FOR A SUITABLE LANDING STRIP. THE ENGINE EVENTUALLY LOST ALL POWER, AND THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK UNEVEN TERRAIN AND SKIDDED SIDEWAYS. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST UPRIGHT, BUT THE LEFT WING, NOSE GEAR, AND FUSELAGE WERE DAMAGED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE FLUID INSIDE THE GASCOLATOR HAD FROZEN. THE FAA INSPECTOR ADDED THAT ALTHOUGH THE PILOT ADDED 5 GALLONS OF 100LL AT GFL, HE ORIGINALLY DEPARTED CANADA WITH AUTOMOBILE GASOLINE. THE REPORTED TEMPERATURE AT AN AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, AT 1254, WAS 22 DEGREES F.(-23) ON DECEMBER 4, 2002 AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AN ERCOUPE 415-CD, CANADIAN REGISTRY C-FXJK INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE AT AN OPEN FIELD IN DALTON, MASSACHUSETTS. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON UNEVEN TERRAIN AND SLID SIDEWAYS COMING TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, HOWEVER SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED TO THE LEFT WING AND NOSE GEAR AREA OF THE FUSELAGE WHICH HAD BUCKLING ON LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES JUST AFT OF FIREWALL. THE CANADIAN CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED FROM FLOYD BENNETT MEMORIAL AIRPORT (GFL) GLENS FALLS NEW YORK; WITH A PLANNED DESTINATION FOR CHESTER AIPORT (39B) CHESTER, CONNECTICUT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED, AND VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE AIRCRAFT ORIGINALLY DEPARTED CANADA WITH AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE ON BOARD, AND 5 GALLONS OF 100 LOW LEAD WAS ADDED AT GLENS FALL NEW YORK. DEPARTING GLEN FALLS THE AIRCRAFT FLEW FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH, ALTITUDE ABOUT 4000 FEET, HEADING IN A SOUTH EASTERLY DIRECTION. THE PILOT PRIMED THE ENGINE TO KEEP IT RUNNING UNTIL SUITABLE AREA FOR LANDING WAS LOCATED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^