20040125015359A

(-23) On January 25, 2004, at 1814 central standard time, a Cessna 120 tail wheel equipped single-engine airplane, N1961V, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power at the Country Air Estates Airport, near Lonoke, Arkansas. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Twilight visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight. The cross-Country flight departed from the stuttgart municipal airport, near stuttgart, Arkansas, at an unknown time and was destined for the north little rock municipal airport, near little rock, Arkansas. During a telephone interview, the pilot reported that while in cruise flight, he "heard three loud knocks" followed by a loss of engine power. He initiated a forced landing to an unlit airfield. The pilot stated that during final approach for runway 36, the airplane was high and he "had to slip the airplane to land." During the landing roll, he noticed a tree line at the end of the runway and attempted to turn the airplane to the left. Subsequently, the airplane impacted a ditch, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination of the airplane by the federal aviation administration inspector, who responded to the accident site, revealed the left forward wing spar was bent, the vertical stabilizer sustained structural damage, and the fuselage, aft of the main landing gear, was wrinkled. It was determined by this inspector, the engine had a cylinder that was not firing but I could not find out which one without a compression test.