What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The mishap pilot was operating in the local traffic pattern when he experienced a loss of engine power and was unable to maintain altitude. He noticed a loss of oil pressure on the oil pressure gauge and a sharp rise in engine temperature. The pilot then turned towards the runway and maneuvered over a corn field where he eventually landed coming to rest in an upright position resting on the nose of the aircraft. Damage was restricted to the propeller, landing gear, and minor damage to the inboard leading edge of both lower wings. The wing spars and ribs were undamaged. Further investigation revealed that the grounding strap for the electrical system had broken which caused the electric fuel boost pump to fall resulting in the loss of power.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE MISHAP PILOT WAS OPERATING IN THE LOCAL TRAFFIC PATTERN WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. HE NOTICED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE ON THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE AND A SHARP RISE IN ENGINE TEMPERATURE. THE PILOT THEN TURNED TOWARDS THE RUNWAY AND MANEUVERED OVER A CORN FIELD WHERE HE EVENTUALLY LANDED COMING TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION RESTING ON THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT. DAMAGE WAS RESTRICTED TO THE PROPELLER, LANDING GEAR, AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE INBOARD LEADING EDGE OF BOTH LOWER WINGS. THE WING SPARS AND RIBS WERE UNDAMAGED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE GROUNDING STRAP FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD BROKEN WHICH CAUSED THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP TO FALL RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF POWER.
Other reports on N317LS · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.