What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On April 23, at approximately 09:00, N8171V a Piper pa 28-161 aircraft departed Palo Alto municipal airport with a student pilot at the controls. Shortly after aircraft rotation, the aircraft's engine quit and the aircraft made a powered off landing in the marsh lands approximately 2000 feet past the end of runway 31. The pilot was not injured, however the aircraft sustained major damage while attempting an emergency landing in the mud flats. The pilot stated that the engine started to sputter so he switched fuel tanks and pumped the throttle in an attempt to keep the engine running; when it finally quit, he stated that he did not have enough time or altitude to restart the engine.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON APRIL 23, AT APPROXIMATELY 09:00, N8171V A PIPER PA 28-161 AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PALO ALTO MUNICIPAL AIRPORT WITH A STUDENT PILOT AT THE CONTROLS. SHORTLY AFTER AIRCRAFT ROTATION, THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE QUIT AND THE AIRCRAFT MADE A POWERED OFF LANDING IN THE MARSH LANDS APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET PAST THE END OF RUNWAY 31. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE MUD FLATS. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER SO HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND PUMPED THE THROTTLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING; WHEN IT FINALLY QUIT, HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME OR ALTITUDE TO RESTART THE ENGINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8171V · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.