What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 23 December, 2002. Investigating an accident PA-28-235, pilot stated that on taxi-out of pontiac airport (ptk) that the engine started missing and it seemed to act like a fouled spark plug. The pilot decided to rev engine to clear and do a mag check, which was fine. Everything seemed fine so he decided to continue to Monroe airport. After passing willow run airport, the engine started running rough, so the pilot called willow run tower reported the problem and attempted to return to willow run airport. The pilot tried carb heat and selected different fuel tanks with no change in engine performance, could not sustain altitude and landed aircraft in a field. Upon landing the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft came to a stop and pilot and passenger exited aircraft. Upon investigation of engine, the number 2 cylinder exhaust valve broke off.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 23 DECEMBER, 2002. INVESTIGATING AN ACCIDENT PA-28-235, PILOT STATED THAT ON TAXI-OUT OF PONTIAC AIRPORT (PTK) THAT THE ENGINE STARTED MISSING AND IT SEEMED TO ACT LIKE A FOULED SPARK PLUG. THE PILOT DECIDED TO REV ENGINE TO CLEAR AND DO A MAG CHECK, WHICH WAS FINE. EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE SO HE DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO MONROE AIRPORT. AFTER PASSING WILLOW RUN AIRPORT, THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH, SO THE PILOT CALLED WILLOW RUN TOWER REPORTED THE PROBLEM AND ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO WILLOW RUN AIRPORT. THE PILOT TRIED CARB HEAT AND SELECTED DIFFERENT FUEL TANKS WITH NO CHANGE IN ENGINE PERFORMANCE, COULD NOT SUSTAIN ALTITUDE AND LANDED AIRCRAFT IN A FIELD. UPON LANDING THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP AND PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED AIRCRAFT. UPON INVESTIGATION OF ENGINE, THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE BROKE OFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.