What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated he performed a standard pre flight had a normal engine start and run up, departed Zuehl field for a local pleasure flight. Approximate 15 to 20 minutes into the flight the engine surged two or three times then the engine stopped completely. He glided to the nearest field with out power, misjudged the height of a tree because he was in the back pilot's seat that limited his view and hit the top of the tree. The aircraft hit the ground at an extreme nose down attitude and flipped over on the back inverted. Pilot and passenger were not hurt.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED HE PERFORMED A STANDARD PRE FLIGHT HAD A NORMAL ENGINE START AND RUN UP, DEPARTED ZUEHL FIELD FOR A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT. APPROXIMATE 15 TO 20 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE ENGINE SURGED TWO OR THREE TIMES THEN THE ENGINE STOPPED COMPLETELY. HE GLIDED TO THE NEAREST FIELD WITH OUT POWER, MISJUDGED THE HEIGHT OF A TREE BECAUSE HE WAS IN THE BACK PILOT'S SEAT THAT LIMITED HIS VIEW AND HIT THE TOP OF THE TREE. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND AT AN EXTREME NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND FLIPPED OVER ON THE BACK INVERTED. PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT HURT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.