What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft crashed approx. 300 feet short of intended landing strip due to loss of power and aircraft altitude too low to reach touchdown zone. Pilot had completed 2 hr. 10 min. Cross country flight from rockwall, TX to Goldthwaite, TX. He made a low pass over his parents home then another over the unimproved landing strip to look for obstructions. When he turned onto downwind leg, power was reduced, engine would not respond when the throttle was advanced. Aircraft crashed into some brush and trees short of runway. Post crash fire occurred which was extinguished by the pilot. On scene investigation revealed adequate fuel supply in tanks. Fuel at the main strainer. No obstructions of the fuel screens at the firewall and fuel pump. One prop blade bent. There was substantial damage to fuselage, wings, cowling, engine mount, nose gear, and wind screen. Post crash fire concentrated around left hand side of engine compartment. Circuit breakers for the fuel pump and landing light were tripped. Switches for these items were in the no position. Spark plugs had evidence of rich mixture for a short time before crash. Engine inspection at salvage facility determined that engine would run &develop power.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROX. 300 FEET SHORT OF INTENDED LANDING STRIP DUE TO LOSS OF POWER AND AIRCRAFT ALTITUDE TOO LOW TO REACH TOUCHDOWN ZONE. PILOT HAD COMPLETED 2 HR. 10 MIN. CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM ROCKWALL, TX TO GOLDTHWAITE, TX. HE MADE A LOW PASS OVER HIS PARENTS HOME THEN ANOTHER OVER THE UNIMPROVED LANDING STRIP TO LOOK FOR OBSTRUCTIONS. WHEN HE TURNED ONTO DOWNWIND LEG, POWER WAS REDUCED, ENGINE WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED. AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO SOME BRUSH AND TREES SHORT OF RUNWAY. POST CRASH FIRE OCCURRED WHICH WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE PILOT. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED ADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY IN TANKS. FUEL AT THE MAIN STRAINER. NO OBSTRUCTIONS OF THE FUEL SCREENS AT THE FIREWALL AND FUEL PUMP. ONE PROP BLADE BENT. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO FUSELAGE, WINGS, COWLING, ENGINE MOUNT, NOSE GEAR, AND WIND SCREEN. POST CRASH FIRE CONCENTRATED AROUND LEFT HAND SIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CIRCUIT BREAKERS FOR THE FUEL PUMP AND LANDING LIGHT WERE TRIPPED. SWITCHES FOR THESE ITEMS WERE IN THE NO POSITION. SPARK PLUGS HAD EVIDENCE OF RICH MIXTURE FOR A SHORT TIME BEFORE CRASH. ENGINE INSPECTION AT SALVAGE FACILITY DETERMINED THAT ENGINE WOULD RUN &DEVELOP POWER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.