What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Student pilot VFR with no flight plan or air traffic involvement on solo cross country from backus MN (7Y3) to st. cloud MN (STC) and back, weather was good, departed st. cloud approximately 4:30 pm CDT. Pilot lost position and was off course. Engine began running rough. Carburetor ice was activated and normal operation resumed. Carburetor ice deactivated, after some period of time engine began to run rough again, carburetor ice activated with no change. At approximately 6:45 pm CDT pilot selected field to land in and attempted to land. Aircraft touched down in wheat field from the south, after approximately 300 feet aircraft struck a berm (old fence line) which removed nose gear and damaged right wing then nosed into the ground damaging cowling and engine support. Aircraft came to rest 30 feet north of berm. One propeller blade tip broken one bent back. Pilot was not injured and refused medical treatment. Witness on ground also heard engine sputtering. Fuel was present in wings. Unable to get fuel sample (nose down). Visual inspection of crash site found #3 cylinder of engine showing signs of exhaust leak. Aircraft was using auto fuel and did have STC to allow.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) STUDENT PILOT VFR WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN OR AIR TRAFFIC INVOLVEMENT ON SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FROM BACKUS MN (7Y3) TO ST. CLOUD MN (STC) AND BACK, WEATHER WAS GOOD, DEPARTED ST. CLOUD APPROXIMATELY 4:30 PM CDT. PILOT LOST POSITION AND WAS OFF COURSE. ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. CARBURETOR ICE WAS ACTIVATED AND NORMAL OPERATION RESUMED. CARBURETOR ICE DEACTIVATED, AFTER SOME PERIOD OF TIME ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AGAIN, CARBURETOR ICE ACTIVATED WITH NO CHANGE. AT APPROXIMATELY 6:45 PM CDT PILOT SELECTED FIELD TO LAND IN AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN WHEAT FIELD FROM THE SOUTH, AFTER APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BERM (OLD FENCE LINE) WHICH REMOVED NOSE GEAR AND DAMAGED RIGHT WING THEN NOSED INTO THE GROUND DAMAGING COWLING AND ENGINE SUPPORT. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 30 FEET NORTH OF BERM. ONE PROPELLER BLADE TIP BROKEN ONE BENT BACK. PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND REFUSED MEDICAL TREATMENT. WITNESS ON GROUND ALSO HEARD ENGINE SPUTTERING. FUEL WAS PRESENT IN WINGS. UNABLE TO GET FUEL SAMPLE (NOSE DOWN). VISUAL INSPECTION OF CRASH SITE FOUND #3 CYLINDER OF ENGINE SHOWING SIGNS OF EXHAUST LEAK. AIRCRAFT WAS USING AUTO FUEL AND DID HAVE STC TO ALLOW.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.