What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Following a normal start and pre-takeoff run up, the aircraft departed pga for a part 91 repositioning flight to gcn. According to the pilot's statement, when climbing through approximately 8,500' MSL 15 miles south of pga the engine began to shake violently. The pilot immediately reduced the power to 15" mp and 2300 RPM. After reducing power the pilot also noticed smoke and oil coming from the cowling. Approximately 2 minutes after the initial onset of the vibration the engine stopped. The pilot established a glide for landing on highway 89 and finished securing the engine. While on short final for the highway, the pilot noticed he was overtaking a semi truck and car. The pilot then elected to land beside the highway rather on the vehicles. After touchdown, the nose hit a sand berm. Resultant damage to the aircraft was a broken nose gear, bent left wing and buckled fuselage. Pilot was the sole occupant and there were no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) FOLLOWING A NORMAL START AND PRE-TAKEOFF RUN UP, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PGA FOR A PART 91 REPOSITIONING FLIGHT TO GCN. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, WHEN CLIMBING THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 8,500' MSL 15 MILES SOUTH OF PGA THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY REDUCED THE POWER TO 15" MP AND 2300 RPM. AFTER REDUCING POWER THE PILOT ALSO NOTICED SMOKE AND OIL COMING FROM THE COWLING. APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES AFTER THE INITIAL ONSET OF THE VIBRATION THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE PILOT ESTABLISHED A GLIDE FOR LANDING ON HIGHWAY 89 AND FINISHED SECURING THE ENGINE. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL FOR THE HIGHWAY, THE PILOT NOTICED HE WAS OVERTAKING A SEMI TRUCK AND CAR. THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO LAND BESIDE THE HIGHWAY RATHER ON THE VEHICLES. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE HIT A SAND BERM. RESULTANT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS A BROKEN NOSE GEAR, BENT LEFT WING AND BUCKLED FUSELAGE. PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N9317M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.