What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On Saturday March 17, 2007 at approx 1745 MDT, a Mooney M20B, N74503, s/n 1814 departed st. George, UT (sgu) for mesquite, NV (67L), the aircraft made a normal departure via rwy 16. The aircraft was piloted by the owner privacy data omitted , and one passenger aboard. At approx 1815 the aircraft was in cruise flight at 6500 feet, 9.6 miles from the airport, the engine began running excessively rough and back firing, the pilot made 180 degree turn back to return to (sgu). Unable to maintain altitude and could not make the approach end of rwy 34, he turned again 120 degrees to the left and elected to make an off field emergency landing, gear up. The aircraft landed in an empty field, with dry rocky terrain adjacent to a river bed, the aircraft skidded 195 feet and came to rest. The bottom of the fuselage and left wing were substantially damaged. There were no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON SATURDAY MARCH 17, 2007 AT APPROX 1745 MDT, A MOONEY M20B, N74503, S/N 1814 DEPARTED ST. GEORGE, UT (SGU) FOR MESQUITE, NV (67L), THE AIRCRAFT MADE A NORMAL DEPARTURE VIA RWY 16. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PILOTED BY THE OWNER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ , AND ONE PASSENGER ABOARD. AT APPROX 1815 THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 6500 FEET, 9.6 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING EXCESSIVELY ROUGH AND BACK FIRING, THE PILOT MADE 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO RETURN TO (SGU). UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND COULD NOT MAKE THE APPROACH END OF RWY 34, HE TURNED AGAIN 120 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF FIELD EMERGENCY LANDING, GEAR UP. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN AN EMPTY FIELD, WITH DRY ROCKY TERRAIN ADJACENT TO A RIVER BED, THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED 195 FEET AND CAME TO REST. THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE AND LEFT WING WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.