What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated that while performing a low speed circling manuever at 6500 foot in altitude, the engine began loosing power with carb heat on. He then leveled out and actuated carb heat to off then on to verify that carb heat was working. The engine RPM gained then droped off, but was continuing to loose power. He then decided to perform a precautionary landing on an open stretch of highway rather than attempt to fly 14 miles back to his home airfield. Upon landing roll out the left wing struck a snow pole along the highway causing the aircraft to spin left into a ditch ajacent to the highway.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED THAT WHILE PERFORMING A LOW SPEED CIRCLING MANUEVER AT 6500 FOOT IN ALTITUDE, THE ENGINE BEGAN LOOSING POWER WITH CARB HEAT ON. HE THEN LEVELED OUT AND ACTUATED CARB HEAT TO OFF THEN ON TO VERIFY THAT CARB HEAT WAS WORKING. THE ENGINE RPM GAINED THEN DROPED OFF, BUT WAS CONTINUING TO LOOSE POWER. HE THEN DECIDED TO PERFORM A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON AN OPEN STRETCH OF HIGHWAY RATHER THAN ATTEMPT TO FLY 14 MILES BACK TO HIS HOME AIRFIELD. UPON LANDING ROLL OUT THE LEFT WING STRUCK A SNOW POLE ALONG THE HIGHWAY CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SPIN LEFT INTO A DITCH AJACENT TO THE HIGHWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.