What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed (gri) Grand Island, NE at approximately 1330 on 01/19/2003 enroute to (K76) blair, NE. At approximately 3000 feet MSL, the engine lost power approximately 8 miles east of gri. Pilot applied carburetor heat, tried left and right magnetos, checked fuel selector for "both" and tried the primer, all with no effect. Checked fuel quantity and fuel was between 1/2 and 3/4 on both tanks. Pilot selected an emergency landing area on a golf course and attempted to land. During the landing, the nose strut collapsed and the left wing tip came in contact with the ground. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the firewall on the right side and the left wing tip has minor damage to the outer section and does not appear to be damaged into the spar. During continuity check of engine components, both left and right magneto impulse coupling springs were broken in the same location. Serial numbers on the magnetos were four numbers apart and had only 5 hours since new. The manufacturer was contacted and the lot number of the springs were tested for stress fractures and strength, all were found to be normal. All other continuity checks on the aircraft revealed no anomalies.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED (GRI) GRAND ISLAND, NE AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 ON 01/19/2003 ENROUTE TO (K76) BLAIR, NE. AT APPROXIMATELY 3000 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES EAST OF GRI. PILOT APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, TRIED LEFT AND RIGHT MAGNETOS, CHECKED FUEL SELECTOR FOR "BOTH" AND TRIED THE PRIMER, ALL WITH NO EFFECT. CHECKED FUEL QUANTITY AND FUEL WAS BETWEEN 1/2 AND 3/4 ON BOTH TANKS. PILOT SELECTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA ON A GOLF COURSE AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND. DURING THE LANDING, THE NOSE STRUT COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING TIP CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND THE LEFT WING TIP HAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE OUTER SECTION AND DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE DAMAGED INTO THE SPAR. DURING CONTINUITY CHECK OF ENGINE COMPONENTS, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT MAGNETO IMPULSE COUPLING SPRINGS WERE BROKEN IN THE SAME LOCATION. SERIAL NUMBERS ON THE MAGNETOS WERE FOUR NUMBERS APART AND HAD ONLY 5 HOURS SINCE NEW. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE LOT NUMBER OF THE SPRINGS WERE TESTED FOR STRESS FRACTURES AND STRENGTH, ALL WERE FOUND TO BE NORMAL. ALL OTHER CONTINUITY CHECKS ON THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.