What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
CFI and student were on board N6589G in the traffic pattern at gilbert field (gif) in winter haven, FL preparing for a landing on runway 23. While on downwind leg and abeam the runway numbers, an initial power reduction to 1800 RPM was made by the student flying the aircraft. Shortly thereafter, the RPM did an uncommanded drop to 1500 RPM. The student advanced the throttle to bring the power back to 1800 RPM, and the engine responded. On the base leg of the pattern the engine sputtered and completely stopped, and it did not respond to any further adjustments to the throttle. The CFI immediately took control of the aircraft, and was successful in maneuvering it into a cow pasture where it landed hard causing the nose landing gear to separate from the aircraft. Subsequently, the nose portion of the aircraft dug into the ground causing the aircraft to flip over onto its back causing substantial damage. There were no injuries to the CFI or the student. Post-accident inspections performed by the FSDO iic showed that approximately 4 gallons of avgas was drained from the left fuel tank and gascolator. Several days later engine diagnostic checks concluded that spark plugs, compression, magnetos, fuel lines, and carburetor were all normal. End of narrative.
As the FAA filed it
CFI AND STUDENT WERE ON BOARD N6589G IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT GILBERT FIELD (GIF) IN WINTER HAVEN, FL PREPARING FOR A LANDING ON RUNWAY 23. WHILE ON DOWNWIND LEG AND ABEAM THE RUNWAY NUMBERS, AN INITIAL POWER REDUCTION TO 1800 RPM WAS MADE BY THE STUDENT FLYING THE AIRCRAFT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE RPM DID AN UNCOMMANDED DROP TO 1500 RPM. THE STUDENT ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO BRING THE POWER BACK TO 1800 RPM, AND THE ENGINE RESPONDED. ON THE BASE LEG OF THE PATTERN THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND COMPLETELY STOPPED, AND IT DID NOT RESPOND TO ANY FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS TO THE THROTTLE. THE CFI IMMEDIATELY TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN MANEUVERING IT INTO A COW PASTURE WHERE IT LANDED HARD CAUSING THE NOSE LANDING GEAR TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE PORTION OF THE AIRCRAFT DUG INTO THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER ONTO ITS BACK CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE CFI OR THE STUDENT. POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTIONS PERFORMED BY THE FSDO IIC SHOWED THAT APPROXIMATELY 4 GALLONS OF AVGAS WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND GASCOLATOR. SEVERAL DAYS LATER ENGINE DIAGNOSTIC CHECKS CONCLUDED THAT SPARK PLUGS, COMPRESSION, MAGNETOS, FUEL LINES, AND CARBURETOR WERE ALL NORMAL. END OF NARRATIVE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.