What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot stated he departed georgetown (gad) en-route to midland airpark (mdd) at approx. 1815 CST on 3/8/2018.
The wing tank quantity gauges indicated 60 gallons of fuel was on board the aircraft at time of pre-flight.
During cruise flight at approx. 5700' asl
The pilot stated the engine lost power (approx. 2010 CST). He pushed the emergency button on his GPS. The GPS indicated the closest airport was Big Spring, TX. 15 miles away.
Realizing he would not make the airport and saw the lights of a truck traveling down a dirt road below him. He attempted to execute an emergency landing on the road behind the truck.
Just before the aircraft reached the road it struck a powerline and fell to the ground inverted.
Some oil field workers in the area saw the accident, called 911, and assisted the pilot out of the wreckage.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT STATED HE DEPARTED GEORGETOWN (GAD) EN-ROUTE TO MIDLAND AIRPARK (MDD) AT APPROX. 1815 CST ON 3/8/2018.
THE WING TANK QUANTITY GAUGES INDICATED 60 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT AT TIME OF PRE-FLIGHT.
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT APPROX. 5700' ASL
THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE LOST POWER (APPROX. 2010 CST). HE PUSHED THE EMERGENCY BUTTON ON HIS GPS. THE GPS INDICATED THE CLOSEST AIRPORT WAS BIG SPRING, TX. 15 MILES AWAY.
REALIZING HE WOULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT AND SAW THE LIGHTS OF A TRUCK TRAVELING DOWN A DIRT ROAD BELOW HIM. HE ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE ROAD BEHIND THE TRUCK.
JUST BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT REACHED THE ROAD IT STRUCK A POWERLINE AND FELL TO THE GROUND INVERTED.
SOME OIL FIELD WORKERS IN THE AREA SAW THE ACCIDENT, CALLED 911, AND ASSISTED THE PILOT OUT OF THE WRECKAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.