What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 1615 local time, the student pilot, and passenger, departed Decatur Municipal Airport (8F7) on runway 35, with an intended destination of plainview, Texas (kpvw). The pilot reported that he noted that the engine RPM was about 400 below normal after takeoff; he applied carburetor heat and switched the fuel tank selector and leveled out at approximately 500-700' AGL; the engine then began to vibrate and he shut the engine down, with an occasional restart to maintain glide speed. The pilot decided to attempt a return to the airport, but was unable to maintain altitude, and made an emergency landing on a southeasterly heading in a pasture, approximately 2 miles west of the airport. The landing roll was approximately 170 yards, uphill, impacting a barbed wire fence approximately 70 feet prior to stop. The left fuel tank was empty, and the right fuel tank contained approximately 2.5 gallons, although integrity of both fuel tanks was compromised by the impact with the fence, and records show that the passenger paid for 12.5 gallons of fuel prior to takeoff. On site examination showed no obvious reason for the reported power loss.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 1615 LOCAL TIME, THE STUDENT PILOT, AND PASSENGER, DEPARTED DECATUR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (8F7) ON RUNWAY 35, WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF PLAINVIEW, TEXAS (KPVW). THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE NOTED THAT THE ENGINE RPM WAS ABOUT 400 BELOW NORMAL AFTER TAKEOFF; HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND SWITCHED THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR AND LEVELED OUT AT APPROXIMATELY 500-700' AGL; THE ENGINE THEN BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND HE SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN, WITH AN OCCASIONAL RESTART TO MAINTAIN GLIDE SPEED. THE PILOT DECIDED TO ATTEMPT A RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING IN A PASTURE, APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES WEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE LANDING ROLL WAS APPROXIMATELY 170 YARDS, UPHILL, IMPACTING A BARBED WIRE FENCE APPROXIMATELY 70 FEET PRIOR TO STOP. THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY, AND THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY 2.5 GALLONS, ALTHOUGH INTEGRITY OF BOTH FUEL TANKS WAS COMPROMISED BY THE IMPACT WITH THE FENCE, AND RECORDS SHOW THAT THE PASSENGER PAID FOR 12.5 GALLONS OF FUEL PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. ON SITE EXAMINATION SHOWED NO OBVIOUS REASON FOR THE REPORTED POWER LOSS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.