What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 8, 2001, N5118L, departed fairhope, AL, for hattiesburg, MS (pib). Prior to departure the fueled with 50 gallons total. Twenty minutes into the flight, at 4500 altitude, the pilot notice a vibration in the engine. The engine started to run rough. He switch fuel tanks and checked his magnetos did not effect engine performance. He smelled something buring and pulled back on the throttles. Unable to maintain altitude, he looked for a place to land and declared an emergency. The pilot found a water melon field and landed his aircraft. Upon landing the nose gear got caught in the soft ground and nosed over. The pilot got out of the aircraft with minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 8, 2001, N5118L, DEPARTED FAIRHOPE, AL, FOR HATTIESBURG, MS (PIB). PRIOR TO DEPARTURE THE FUELED WITH 50 GALLONS TOTAL. TWENTY MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, AT 4500 ALTITUDE, THE PILOT NOTICE A VIBRATION IN THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. HE SWITCH FUEL TANKS AND CHECKED HIS MAGNETOS DID NOT EFFECT ENGINE PERFORMANCE. HE SMELLED SOMETHING BURING AND PULLED BACK ON THE THROTTLES. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, HE LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE PILOT FOUND A WATER MELON FIELD AND LANDED HIS AIRCRAFT. UPON LANDING THE NOSE GEAR GOT CAUGHT IN THE SOFT GROUND AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT GOT OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.