What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On February 1, 2003, approximately 1235 central standard time, a gilbertson Zodiac CH601HDS, experimental airplane, N474BG, struck a terrace during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near grandfield, Oklahoma. The airplane was built, owned, and operated by the pilot under 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91. The airline transport pilot, sole occupant, was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The test flight originated from chattanooga, Oklahoma, approximately 1205. Local authorities and the pilot reported to the FAA inspector that the airplane struck the terrace, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane structure twisted as the airplane came to rest in the field. During the impact sequence, the firewall and all components forward of the firewall separated from the airplane. The integrity of the fuel tank was compromised. The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that during a flight that morning, the subaru engine was running rough; however, he landed the airplane without further incident. The carburetor screen was removed, cleaned of debris, and reinstalled by the pilot. During the afternoon flight, there was a total loss of engine power. The pilot performed the emergency landing procedures. The FAA inspector reported that the airplane had accumulated 28 of the required 40 hours of flight time under the operating limitations for the homebuilt airplane. (-23) February 1, 2003, a home-built aircraft was flying from chatanooga airport for a test flight. The engine lost power. The pilot landed in a field and the aircraft ran over a terrace berm. The nose gear collapsed and the nose dug into the berm. The firewall forward was torn from the aircraft and both main landing gear collapsed. The pilot stated that during an earlier flight the engine ran rough. After the flight he removed the carburetor from the subaru engine. He cleaned the carburetor screen and reinstalled the carburetor. This flight began at 12:35 CST, and the engine quit at 1300. The pilot will submit an m or d report.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON FEBRUARY 1, 2003, APPROXIMATELY 1235 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A GILBERTSON ZODIAC CH601HDS, EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE, N474BG, STRUCK A TERRACE DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR GRANDFIELD, OKLAHOMA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BUILT, OWNED, AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED, AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE TEST FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM CHATTANOOGA, OKLAHOMA, APPROXIMATELY 1205. LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TERRACE, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCTURE TWISTED AS THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN THE FIELD. DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE, THE FIREWALL AND ALL COMPONENTS FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE INTEGRITY OF THE FUEL TANK WAS COMPROMISED. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT DURING A FLIGHT THAT MORNING, THE SUBARU ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH; HOWEVER, HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE CARBURETOR SCREEN WAS REMOVED, CLEANED OF DEBRIS, AND REINSTALLED BY THE PILOT. DURING THE AFTERNOON FLIGHT, THERE WAS A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT PERFORMED THE EMERGENCY LANDING PROCEDURES. THE FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD ACCUMULATED 28 OF THE REQUIRED 40 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME UNDER THE OPERATING LIMITATIONS FOR THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE. (-23) FEBRUARY 1, 2003, A HOME-BUILT AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING FROM CHATANOOGA AIRPORT FOR A TEST FLIGHT. THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT LANDED IN A FIELD AND THE AIRCRAFT RAN OVER A TERRACE BERM. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE NOSE DUG INTO THE BERM. THE FIREWALL FORWARD WAS TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING AN EARLIER FLIGHT THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH. AFTER THE FLIGHT HE REMOVED THE CARBURETOR FROM THE SUBARU ENGINE. HE CLEANED THE CARBURETOR SCREEN AND REINSTALLED THE CARBURETOR. THIS FLIGHT BEGAN AT 12:35 CST, AND THE ENGINE QUIT AT 1300. THE PILOT WILL SUBMIT AN M OR D REPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.