What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft N8306B with 1 person on board departed tail winds airport (FD15) enroute to craig municipal airport (kcrg). PIC had radio communications with west palm beach ATCT. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight the engine sustained a substantial loss of power. PIC informed ATCT of situation and requested closest airport. ATCT approved turn back to FD15 less than 5 miles away. PIC headed toward FD15 and while going through emergency procedures found he was able to keep the engine running by continuously pumping the primer but was still unable to maintain altitude. PIC made an emergency landing in an orange grove (blue goose growers, 600 bridge road, Hobe Sound, FL 33455) approximately 2 miles north of FD15. The aircraft touched down in soft terrain resulting in the nose wheel to dig into the ground and the aircraft nosing over and resting upside down. During the recovery efforts N8306B was turned right side up and inspected by atlanta air recovery in the presence of the FAA. The aircraft had positive fuel flow to the carburetor with proper venting. All fuel screens were clean and provided adequate fuel flow and engine air intake had no blockage. The throttle, mixture, and carburetor heat controls and linkages all operated properly. All 12 spark plugs removed and appeared to be in serviceable condition. Completed thumb compression check on all 6 cylinders with positive results. Manually turned engine through and noted spark on all 12 spark plug leads. Removed carburetor and noted accelerator pump was functioning and presence of fuel in bowl. Disassembled carburetor and noted needle valve and seat were not damaged. Contamination was found at the carburetor bowl drain plug and contamination blockage at the fuel channel.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT N8306B WITH 1 PERSON ON BOARD DEPARTED TAIL WINDS AIRPORT (FD15) ENROUTE TO CRAIG MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KCRG). PIC HAD RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH WEST PALM BEACH ATCT. APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF POWER. PIC INFORMED ATCT OF SITUATION AND REQUESTED CLOSEST AIRPORT. ATCT APPROVED TURN BACK TO FD15 LESS THAN 5 MILES AWAY. PIC HEADED TOWARD FD15 AND WHILE GOING THROUGH EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOUND HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING BY CONTINUOUSLY PUMPING THE PRIMER BUT WAS STILL UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. PIC MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN ORANGE GROVE (BLUE GOOSE GROWERS, 600 BRIDGE ROAD, HOBE SOUND, FL 33455) APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES NORTH OF FD15. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN SOFT TERRAIN RESULTING IN THE NOSE WHEEL TO DIG INTO THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSING OVER AND RESTING UPSIDE DOWN. DURING THE RECOVERY EFFORTS N8306B WAS TURNED RIGHT SIDE UP AND INSPECTED BY ATLANTA AIR RECOVERY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE FAA. THE AIRCRAFT HAD POSITIVE FUEL FLOW TO THE CARBURETOR WITH PROPER VENTING. ALL FUEL SCREENS WERE CLEAN AND PROVIDED ADEQUATE FUEL FLOW AND ENGINE AIR INTAKE HAD NO BLOCKAGE. THE THROTTLE, MIXTURE, AND CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROLS AND LINKAGES ALL OPERATED PROPERLY. ALL 12 SPARK PLUGS REMOVED AND APPEARED TO BE IN SERVICEABLE CONDITION. COMPLETED THUMB COMPRESSION CHECK ON ALL 6 CYLINDERS WITH POSITIVE RESULTS. MANUALLY TURNED ENGINE THROUGH AND NOTED SPARK ON ALL 12 SPARK PLUG LEADS. REMOVED CARBURETOR AND NOTED ACCELERATOR PUMP WAS FUNCTIONING AND PRESENCE OF FUEL IN BOWL. DISASSEMBLED CARBURETOR AND NOTED NEEDLE VALVE AND SEAT WERE NOT DAMAGED. CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND AT THE CARBURETOR BOWL DRAIN PLUG AND CONTAMINATION BLOCKAGE AT THE FUEL CHANNEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.