What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot in command reported that follwing 15 minutes of aircraft operation the aircraft engine oil pressure and temperature gauges became erratic and the engine momentarily cutout and misfired at a cruise altitude of 1,400 ft. following the event the pilot surveyed the engine instrumentation and observed no anomalies. Pilot turned back toward the petaluma airport and descended to an altitude of 1,200 ft. pilot reported that the aircraft was at an altitude of 1,200 ft and a mile from the airport pattern when the aircraft engine began to misfire and cutout. This lasted for approximately 30 seconds. The aircraft power loss resulted in an additional altitude loss of 400 ft. the pilot located an open alfalfa field to land and during his descent at 650 ft the engine failed. Pilot executed an emergency landing with no engine power. During the landing roll at 30 mph speed the aircraft yawed 180 degrees the aircraft tail dug into the field damaging the rear tail fuselage assembly. The rear tail was offset 3 to 4 feet to the left of the aircraft center line.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT IN COMMAND REPORTED THAT FOLLWING 15 MINUTES OF AIRCRAFT OPERATION THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE GAUGES BECAME ERRATIC AND THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY CUTOUT AND MISFIRED AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 1,400 FT. FOLLOWING THE EVENT THE PILOT SURVEYED THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTATION AND OBSERVED NO ANOMALIES. PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE PETALUMA AIRPORT AND DESCENDED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 1,200 FT. PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1,200 FT AND A MILE FROM THE AIRPORT PATTERN WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO MISFIRE AND CUTOUT. THIS LASTED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS. THE AIRCRAFT POWER LOSS RESULTED IN AN ADDITIONAL ALTITUDE LOSS OF 400 FT. THE PILOT LOCATED AN OPEN ALFALFA FIELD TO LAND AND DURING HIS DESCENT AT 650 FT THE ENGINE FAILED. PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING WITH NO ENGINE POWER. DURING THE LANDING ROLL AT 30 MPH SPEED THE AIRCRAFT YAWED 180 DEGREES THE AIRCRAFT TAIL DUG INTO THE FIELD DAMAGING THE REAR TAIL FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY. THE REAR TAIL WAS OFFSET 3 TO 4 FEET TO THE LEFT OF THE AIRCRAFT CENTER LINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.