What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 16, 2003, at approximately 9:20 am EDT, a polstra Zodiac ch 601 hds experimental aircraft, N721PT, registered to and operated by the private owner, collided with terrain, tree stumps, and debris during a forced landing in a wooded clear cut area following a loss of engine power approximately 6 nautical miles west of the Thomson-Mcduffie County Airport, Thomson, Georgia, at coordinates N33 32 603, W082 37 985. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91, with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The commercial pilot was not injured, however, the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The flight departed cobb county mccollum field in marietta, Georgia at approximately 8:15 am. The flight was enroute to Thomson-Mcduffie County Airport, cruising at 3,500 feet mean sea level when approximately 15 miles from the destination the pilot stated the engine began to run rough and make a tapping noise before stopping. The engine would not restart and an emergency landing was made.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 16, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 9:20 AM EDT, A POLSTRA ZODIAC CH 601 HDS EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, N721PT, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PRIVATE OWNER, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN, TREE STUMPS, AND DEBRIS DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A WOODED CLEAR CUT AREA FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER APPROXIMATELY 6 NAUTICAL MILES WEST OF THE THOMSON-MCDUFFIE COUNTY AIRPORT, THOMSON, GEORGIA, AT COORDINATES N33 32 603, W082 37 985. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED COBB COUNTY MCCOLLUM FIELD IN MARIETTA, GEORGIA AT APPROXIMATELY 8:15 AM. THE FLIGHT WAS ENROUTE TO THOMSON-MCDUFFIE COUNTY AIRPORT, CRUISING AT 3,500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL WHEN APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND MAKE A TAPPING NOISE BEFORE STOPPING. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART AND AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.