What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While at cruise altitude approximately 3000 feet the student pilot in command started leaning the mixture, then the engine started spuddering, the crew of three noted sparks near the propeller. The instructor pilot immediately took control and turned toward the Redding Airport. The student pilot shut-off the fuel and tried maintaining 100 knots plus due to fire, had strong smell of it in cabin, due to being so high on short final. The pilot in command made one 360 degree banking turn to try to lose altitude, could not lose enough altitude and landed past the runway and in to a grassy field then came to a complete stop when the aircrat hit a wire fence parrelling a service road.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE AT CRUISE ALTITUDE APPROXIMATELY 3000 FEET THE STUDENT PILOT IN COMMAND STARTED LEANING THE MIXTURE, THEN THE ENGINE STARTED SPUDDERING, THE CREW OF THREE NOTED SPARKS NEAR THE PROPELLER. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT IMMEDIATELY TOOK CONTROL AND TURNED TOWARD THE REDDING AIRPORT. THE STUDENT PILOT SHUT-OFF THE FUEL AND TRIED MAINTAINING 100 KNOTS PLUS DUE TO FIRE, HAD STRONG SMELL OF IT IN CABIN, DUE TO BEING SO HIGH ON SHORT FINAL. THE PILOT IN COMMAND MADE ONE 360 DEGREE BANKING TURN TO TRY TO LOSE ALTITUDE, COULD NOT LOSE ENOUGH ALTITUDE AND LANDED PAST THE RUNWAY AND IN TO A GRASSY FIELD THEN CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN THE AIRCRAT HIT A WIRE FENCE PARRELLING A SERVICE ROAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.