What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On February 28, 2003, about 1020 mountain standard time, an experimental RV-3, N87BC, experienced a total loss of engine power and made a forced landing on a dirt access road about 4 miles north of deer valley, Arizona. The commercial pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 of the federal aviation regulations. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal local flight departed deer valley about 0945. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The primary wreckage was at 33 degrees 47.30 minutes north latitude and 112 degrees 07.45 minutes west longitude. In a telephone interview, the pilot related that while flying in the area north of deer valley he noticed a decrease in engine power. He applied carburetor heat and turned on the fuel boost pump; he also manipulated the throttle. When the engine quit, the pilot declared an emergency and advised the tower he was making a forced landing. He chose to make the landing on a dirt service road adjacent to the eastside of highway 17 about a 1/2 mile south of highway 74, approximately 4 nautical miles north of the Phoenix deer valley airport (dvt). The dirt road was muddy due to previous rain showers. After touchdown the airplane's landing gear struck a rock in the mud. The airplane came to rest inverted, and the pilot was not able to extract himself from the wreckage without assistance from witnesses who stopped to help. (-23) pilot was returning from the deer vally airport (dvt) nw practice area. Pilot reduced power for descent. Upon level off, pilot applied power but engine sputtered. Pilot suspected carburetor ice and applied carb heat, but to no avail. Engine stopped and pilot executed an emergency landing on an access road paralleling I-17 freeway near the carefree highway (se of the intersection). Upon landing, left main gear sunk into soft dirt (from previous rain) and struck a sunken rock, which broke the left wheel fairing off and caused an "end-over". The empennage struck the ground and broke off just forward of the horizontal stabilizer. Witnesses responded and aided airman out of the airplane.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON FEBRUARY 28, 2003, ABOUT 1020 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL RV-3, N87BC, EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A DIRT ACCESS ROAD ABOUT 4 MILES NORTH OF DEER VALLEY, ARIZONA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT/OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED; THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PERSONAL LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED DEER VALLEY ABOUT 0945. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PRIMARY WRECKAGE WAS AT 33 DEGREES 47.30 MINUTES NORTH LATITUDE AND 112 DEGREES 07.45 MINUTES WEST LONGITUDE. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT RELATED THAT WHILE FLYING IN THE AREA NORTH OF DEER VALLEY HE NOTICED A DECREASE IN ENGINE POWER. HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND TURNED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP; HE ALSO MANIPULATED THE THROTTLE. WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT, THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND ADVISED THE TOWER HE WAS MAKING A FORCED LANDING. HE CHOSE TO MAKE THE LANDING ON A DIRT SERVICE ROAD ADJACENT TO THE EASTSIDE OF HIGHWAY 17 ABOUT A 1/2 MILE SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 74, APPROXIMATELY 4 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF THE PHOENIX DEER VALLEY AIRPORT (DVT). THE DIRT ROAD WAS MUDDY DUE TO PREVIOUS RAIN SHOWERS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR STRUCK A ROCK IN THE MUD. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED, AND THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO EXTRACT HIMSELF FROM THE WRECKAGE WITHOUT ASSISTANCE FROM WITNESSES WHO STOPPED TO HELP. (-23) PILOT WAS RETURNING FROM THE DEER VALLY AIRPORT (DVT) NW PRACTICE AREA. PILOT REDUCED POWER FOR DESCENT. UPON LEVEL OFF, PILOT APPLIED POWER BUT ENGINE SPUTTERED. PILOT SUSPECTED CARBURETOR ICE AND APPLIED CARB HEAT, BUT TO NO AVAIL. ENGINE STOPPED AND PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON AN ACCESS ROAD PARALLELING I-17 FREEWAY NEAR THE CAREFREE HIGHWAY (SE OF THE INTERSECTION). UPON LANDING, LEFT MAIN GEAR SUNK INTO SOFT DIRT (FROM PREVIOUS RAIN) AND STRUCK A SUNKEN ROCK, WHICH BROKE THE LEFT WHEEL FAIRING OFF AND CAUSED AN "END-OVER". THE EMPENNAGE STRUCK THE GROUND AND BROKE OFF JUST FORWARD OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. WITNESSES RESPONDED AND AIDED AIRMAN OUT OF THE AIRPLANE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.