What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 18, 2013 at 1920 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180 aircraft, N4756L, registered to and operated by a private pilot, received substantial damage when it force landed in a corn field following a loss of power while maneuvering after departure on runway 09 at the Frankenmuth, Zehnder Field Airport, (66G). Visual meteorological conditions and light winds prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his 3 passengers were not injured. The local flight originated from the Frankenmuth, Zehnder Field Airport at approximately 1915.
According to the pilot he was departing the 2500 ft. turf strip on runway 09. Engine run-up, mag and carb heat checks were all normal. At approximately 1200 ft. MSL on a crosswind turn, the engine quit and would surge from idle to full power. The pilot added carburetor heat and continued the turn in an attempted to return to runway 27. On final approach the engine continued to run intermittently and the pilot found himself high and fast. A go-around was initiated and the aircraft continued ¼ mile north west of the field where the pilot elected to land in a corn field. The aircraft came to rest approximately 150FT. Into the 8FT. Tall corn. The nose-wheel mount was severely damaged but remained intact. Wing leading edges were significantly dented. No propeller strikes were noted.
The fuel tanks and engine strainer were sumped. The fuel appeared clean, blue and normal. The fuel caps showed no signs of vapor lock and the vents were clear. The fuel selector valve was stiff and the detents were weak. The engine was un-cowled and test run. Engine run was normal and both mags checked. Log books were examined and all inspections were current and ad's up to date.
Weather report near 66G airport at 1933 UTC was: wind 180 degrees at 5KNOTS, visibility 10 statute miles, clear, temp 70 dew point 50 and altimeter 3002.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2013 AT 1920 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-180 AIRCRAFT, N4756L, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT FORCE LANDED IN A CORN FIELD FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER WHILE MANEUVERING AFTER DEPARTURE ON RUNWAY 09 AT THE FRANKENMUTH, ZEHNDER FIELD AIRPORT, (66G). VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND LIGHT WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND HIS 3 PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE FRANKENMUTH, ZEHNDER FIELD AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1915.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE WAS DEPARTING THE 2500 FT. TURF STRIP ON RUNWAY 09. ENGINE RUN-UP, MAG AND CARB HEAT CHECKS WERE ALL NORMAL. AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 FT. MSL ON A CROSSWIND TURN, THE ENGINE QUIT AND WOULD SURGE FROM IDLE TO FULL POWER. THE PILOT ADDED CARBURETOR HEAT AND CONTINUED THE TURN IN AN ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO RUNWAY 27. ON FINAL APPROACH THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN INTERMITTENTLY AND THE PILOT FOUND HIMSELF HIGH AND FAST. A GO-AROUND WAS INITIATED AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ¼ MILE NORTH WEST OF THE FIELD WHERE THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN A CORN FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 150FT. INTO THE 8FT. TALL CORN. THE NOSE-WHEEL MOUNT WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BUT REMAINED INTACT. WING LEADING EDGES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DENTED. NO PROPELLER STRIKES WERE NOTED.
THE FUEL TANKS AND ENGINE STRAINER WERE SUMPED. THE FUEL APPEARED CLEAN, BLUE AND NORMAL. THE FUEL CAPS SHOWED NO SIGNS OF VAPOR LOCK AND THE VENTS WERE CLEAR. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS STIFF AND THE DETENTS WERE WEAK. THE ENGINE WAS UN-COWLED AND TEST RUN. ENGINE RUN WAS NORMAL AND BOTH MAGS CHECKED. LOG BOOKS WERE EXAMINED AND ALL INSPECTIONS WERE CURRENT AND AD'S UP TO DATE.
WEATHER REPORT NEAR 66G AIRPORT AT 1933 UTC WAS: WIND 180 DEGREES AT 5KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, CLEAR, TEMP 70 DEW POINT 50 AND ALTIMETER 3002.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.