What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot of the aircraft stated that he had departed Cushing Field, Newark, IL around 1830 CDT. During his flight he had an engine failure and landed on a gravel road. He then "wiggled the kill switch and the engine started up again." He departed from the gravel road, climbed to about 2000 feet over the river and headed toward Cushing Field. The engine failed again and he landed the aircraft in a bean field. During his roll out he tried to reach a road in an attempt to depart again. However, there was a ditch between the field and the road which caused the aircraft to come to a sudden stop resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. Additionally, the pilot stated, "he was not aware he needed a pilot certificate, and never carries the registration or airworthiness certificate on the aircraft." Neither of these documents were available on scene, nor is the pilot appropriately certificated to act as pilot in command of this aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT STATED THAT HE HAD DEPARTED CUSHING FIELD, NEWARK, IL AROUND 1830 CDT. DURING HIS FLIGHT HE HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE AND LANDED ON A GRAVEL ROAD. HE THEN "WIGGLED THE KILL SWITCH AND THE ENGINE STARTED UP AGAIN." HE DEPARTED FROM THE GRAVEL ROAD, CLIMBED TO ABOUT 2000 FEET OVER THE RIVER AND HEADED TOWARD CUSHING FIELD. THE ENGINE FAILED AGAIN AND HE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A BEAN FIELD. DURING HIS ROLL OUT HE TRIED TO REACH A ROAD IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEPART AGAIN. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A DITCH BETWEEN THE FIELD AND THE ROAD WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. ADDITIONALLY, THE PILOT STATED, "HE WAS NOT AWARE HE NEEDED A PILOT CERTIFICATE, AND NEVER CARRIES THE REGISTRATION OR AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE ON THE AIRCRAFT." NEITHER OF THESE DOCUMENTS WERE AVAILABLE ON SCENE, NOR IS THE PILOT APPROPRIATELY CERTIFICATED TO ACT AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF THIS AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.