What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot said he had taken off from his private strip on a joy ride, and was flying for about an hour. He said that when he was about 2 miles out from his field the engine power was greatly reduced and he estimates he has about 20 percent power. He said the engine was spitting and sputtering, and he was on a long final to land. He said as he approached he had a tailwind and had to land over some tall trees, and at the end of his strip there is a big embankment, and he tried to make it over the embankment but it settled in a corn field. Right wing bent, right strut bent, firewall bent, nose gear torn off, and propeller bent. Pilot said he was a mechanic and it sounds like the carburetor float was stuck.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT SAID HE HAD TAKEN OFF FROM HIS PRIVATE STRIP ON A JOY RIDE, AND WAS FLYING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. HE SAID THAT WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 2 MILES OUT FROM HIS FIELD THE ENGINE POWER WAS GREATLY REDUCED AND HE ESTIMATES HE HAS ABOUT 20 PERCENT POWER. HE SAID THE ENGINE WAS SPITTING AND SPUTTERING, AND HE WAS ON A LONG FINAL TO LAND. HE SAID AS HE APPROACHED HE HAD A TAILWIND AND HAD TO LAND OVER SOME TALL TREES, AND AT THE END OF HIS STRIP THERE IS A BIG EMBANKMENT, AND HE TRIED TO MAKE IT OVER THE EMBANKMENT BUT IT SETTLED IN A CORN FIELD. RIGHT WING BENT, RIGHT STRUT BENT, FIREWALL BENT, NOSE GEAR TORN OFF, AND PROPELLER BENT. PILOT SAID HE WAS A MECHANIC AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CARBURETOR FLOAT WAS STUCK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.