What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After dispensing crop fertilizer at one location and heading to another nearby field at low altitude (approx. 50 ft AGL), PIC experienced a single loud bang from the radial engine which he stated that it sounded like a backfire. The engine immediately lost power and stopped functioning. PIC was unsuccessful in his attempt to recover the engine due to aircraft's low altitude, and decided to attempt a forced landing on a strip of farm road parallel to a crop field. During the attempt, the aircraft stalled and the left main gear contacted the dirt ridge just below the road surface and above the field, causing the gear to separate from the airframe. As a result of the initial impact with the ground, the aircraft flipped over on its back, the engine separated from the firewall and the upper wings and tail section were substantially damaged. Examination of the engine was made and the following were noted: the gravity feed carburetor air intake exhibited black carbon deposits, sign of a backfire; engine rotation and compression confirmed; spark plugs were clean and tested good; left magneto was removed and tested good. All airframe damage caused by post impact with the ground. Approx. 38 gal. Of fuel onboard.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER DISPENSING CROP FERTILIZER AT ONE LOCATION AND HEADING TO ANOTHER NEARBY FIELD AT LOW ALTITUDE (APPROX. 50 FT AGL), PIC EXPERIENCED A SINGLE LOUD BANG FROM THE RADIAL ENGINE WHICH HE STATED THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE A BACKFIRE. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER AND STOPPED FUNCTIONING. PIC WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN HIS ATTEMPT TO RECOVER THE ENGINE DUE TO AIRCRAFT'S LOW ALTITUDE, AND DECIDED TO ATTEMPT A FORCED LANDING ON A STRIP OF FARM ROAD PARALLEL TO A CROP FIELD. DURING THE ATTEMPT, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR CONTACTED THE DIRT RIDGE JUST BELOW THE ROAD SURFACE AND ABOVE THE FIELD, CAUSING THE GEAR TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRFRAME. AS A RESULT OF THE INITIAL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER ON ITS BACK, THE ENGINE SEPARATED FROM THE FIREWALL AND THE UPPER WINGS AND TAIL SECTION WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE WAS MADE AND THE FOLLOWING WERE NOTED: THE GRAVITY FEED CARBURETOR AIR INTAKE EXHIBITED BLACK CARBON DEPOSITS, SIGN OF A BACKFIRE; ENGINE ROTATION AND COMPRESSION CONFIRMED; SPARK PLUGS WERE CLEAN AND TESTED GOOD; LEFT MAGNETO WAS REMOVED AND TESTED GOOD. ALL AIRFRAME DAMAGE CAUSED BY POST IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. APPROX. 38 GAL. OF FUEL ONBOARD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.