What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On April 13, 2006, at 1629 local, N82LL, a Piper PA-46 registered to the pilot, experienced an engine failure while enroute to clovis, NM. The pilot declared an emergency and turned toward the closest available airport, which was located in artesia, NM. The engine stopped running completely after making the turn and the pilot performed an emergency landing on U.S. Highway 82, 4 miles west of Hope, NM. The aircraft sustained substantial damage when it struck road signs as the pilot maneuvered to avoid ground vehicle traffic. The owner, the holder of a private pilot certificate, was the sole occupant of the aircraft, and was not injured. The private flight originated from las cruces, NM. An IFR flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON APRIL 13, 2006, AT 1629 LOCAL, N82LL, A PIPER PA-46 REGISTERED TO THE PILOT, EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE ENROUTE TO CLOVIS, NM. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND TURNED TOWARD THE CLOSEST AVAILABLE AIRPORT, WHICH WAS LOCATED IN ARTESIA, NM. THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING COMPLETELY AFTER MAKING THE TURN AND THE PILOT PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON U.S. HIGHWAY 82, 4 MILES WEST OF HOPE, NM. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT STRUCK ROAD SIGNS AS THE PILOT MANEUVERED TO AVOID GROUND VEHICLE TRAFFIC. THE OWNER, THE HOLDER OF A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE, WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND WAS NOT INJURED. THE PRIVATE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM LAS CRUCES, NM. AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED, AND VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.