What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft had been airborne for approximately 20 minutes on a sight seeing flight when the engine suddenly developed a severe vibration accompanied by abnormal noise and smoke coming from the front of the engine cowling. Pilot closed throttle and began preparing for an emergency landing. Pilot wished to extend his landing so he added power back to the engine and the vibration became aggravated so he again closed the throttle. Pilot landed the aircraft on a sage brush covered sand dune causing damage to all three landing gear, propeller, and underside of the aircraft. Passenger sustained bruises to arm and hand, no other injuries. No post crash fire. Pilot and passenger had to hike out over night from the extremely remote and rugged area.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES ON A SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY DEVELOPED A SEVERE VIBRATION ACCOMPANIED BY ABNORMAL NOISE AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE COWLING. PILOT CLOSED THROTTLE AND BEGAN PREPARING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. PILOT WISHED TO EXTEND HIS LANDING SO HE ADDED POWER BACK TO THE ENGINE AND THE VIBRATION BECAME AGGRAVATED SO HE AGAIN CLOSED THE THROTTLE. PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT ON A SAGE BRUSH COVERED SAND DUNE CAUSING DAMAGE TO ALL THREE LANDING GEAR, PROPELLER, AND UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRUISES TO ARM AND HAND, NO OTHER INJURIES. NO POST CRASH FIRE. PILOT AND PASSENGER HAD TO HIKE OUT OVER NIGHT FROM THE EXTREMELY REMOTE AND RUGGED AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.