What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 4, 2016, about 0930 pacific daylight time, an RV-6 airplane, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power at St. Maries municipal airport (S72), Idaho. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was operated in accordance with part 91, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from homeport airport (11WA), cheney, Washington.
In a post accident interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot originally reported that on base to final turn to runway 28 at around 400 AGL, with carburetor heat applied, he experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot stated that he switched fuel tanks, activated the boost pump and pumped the throttle, however, he was unable to restore power to the engine. The pilot further stated that knowing he could not make the runway, he elected to make a forced landing in a field near the approach end of runway 28. During the touchdown/landing roll in high vegetation, the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder, canopy, propeller, and landing gear.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 4, 2016, ABOUT 0930 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN RV-6 AIRPLANE, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT ST. MARIES MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (S72), IDAHO. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS OPERATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PART 91, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM HOMEPORT AIRPORT (11WA), CHENEY, WASHINGTON.
IN A POST ACCIDENT INTERVIEW WITH THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE, THE PILOT ORIGINALLY REPORTED THAT ON BASE TO FINAL TURN TO RUNWAY 28 AT AROUND 400 AGL, WITH CARBURETOR HEAT APPLIED, HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, ACTIVATED THE BOOST PUMP AND PUMPED THE THROTTLE, HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER TO THE ENGINE. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT KNOWING HE COULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY, HE ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD NEAR THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 28. DURING THE TOUCHDOWN/LANDING ROLL IN HIGH VEGETATION, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RUDDER, CANOPY, PROPELLER, AND LANDING GEAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.