What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
P-i-c was flying pipeline patrol se of 4F2 at approx 600' AGL heading of 240. Stated he heard the engine 'miss'. He verified all switches and power control lever positions and switched on the fuel boost pump which gave a momentary surge of engine power, but the engine subsequently shut down. The p-i-c immediately scanned for a place to land. He made a left bank away from the pipeline and control valves, towards an area that had been mostly clear-cut by logging operations. In the p-i-c's judgment this was the most suitable landing area based on his altitude and airspeed. P-i-c flared aircraft as much as possible and settled the aircraft into soft dirt and brush, incidentally striking a female deer that was in the tall grass. The aircraft slid approximately 30 yards and ended up rotating approximately 170 degrees from landing direction. External aircraft damage noted as left wing leading edge dented, left aileron dented, left main gear torn from mount with gear spring bent backwards, nose gear torn from mount. Engine oil level confirmed at 7.5 qts on dipstick. P-i-c stated the 'camshaft must have broken'.
As the FAA filed it
P-I-C WAS FLYING PIPELINE PATROL SE OF 4F2 AT APPROX 600' AGL HEADING OF 240. STATED HE HEARD THE ENGINE 'MISS'. HE VERIFIED ALL SWITCHES AND POWER CONTROL LEVER POSITIONS AND SWITCHED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP WHICH GAVE A MOMENTARY SURGE OF ENGINE POWER, BUT THE ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY SHUT DOWN. THE P-I-C IMMEDIATELY SCANNED FOR A PLACE TO LAND. HE MADE A LEFT BANK AWAY FROM THE PIPELINE AND CONTROL VALVES, TOWARDS AN AREA THAT HAD BEEN MOSTLY CLEAR-CUT BY LOGGING OPERATIONS. IN THE P-I-C'S JUDGMENT THIS WAS THE MOST SUITABLE LANDING AREA BASED ON HIS ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. P-I-C FLARED AIRCRAFT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND SETTLED THE AIRCRAFT INTO SOFT DIRT AND BRUSH, INCIDENTALLY STRIKING A FEMALE DEER THAT WAS IN THE TALL GRASS. THE AIRCRAFT SLID APPROXIMATELY 30 YARDS AND ENDED UP ROTATING APPROXIMATELY 170 DEGREES FROM LANDING DIRECTION. EXTERNAL AIRCRAFT DAMAGE NOTED AS LEFT WING LEADING EDGE DENTED, LEFT AILERON DENTED, LEFT MAIN GEAR TORN FROM MOUNT WITH GEAR SPRING BENT BACKWARDS, NOSE GEAR TORN FROM MOUNT. ENGINE OIL LEVEL CONFIRMED AT 7.5 QTS ON DIPSTICK. P-I-C STATED THE 'CAMSHAFT MUST HAVE BROKEN'.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.