What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted Was piloting an Extra 400 from fayetteville, NC to leesburg, VA (jyo). He was on an IFR flight plan and leveled off at cruise altitude of 15K feet. All engine parameters were normal except he noticed higher water temperature powering up to flight level. Water temperature normalized at cruise. He was being routed by ATC when he heard a loud bang from the engine. The engine immediately reduced manifold pressure 37 in. To 22IN of pressure. He spent quite a bit of time trying to troubleshoot the issue and then lost cabin pressure. He switched to ?alternate air? And began to smell engine fumes. He descended to 10K feet. He encountered IMC at 13,500 ft and realized he was not able to maintain altitude. He lost communication with Washington tower. He was not able to make it to the airport and began looking for a suitable field. He landed gear up in a cotton field sustaining damage to the radome on the right wing and some belly damage. There were no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PILOTING AN EXTRA 400 FROM FAYETTEVILLE, NC TO LEESBURG, VA (JYO). HE WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND LEVELED OFF AT CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 15K FEET. ALL ENGINE PARAMETERS WERE NORMAL EXCEPT HE NOTICED HIGHER WATER TEMPERATURE POWERING UP TO FLIGHT LEVEL. WATER TEMPERATURE NORMALIZED AT CRUISE. HE WAS BEING ROUTED BY ATC WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANG FROM THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY REDUCED MANIFOLD PRESSURE 37 IN. TO 22IN OF PRESSURE. HE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME TRYING TO TROUBLESHOOT THE ISSUE AND THEN LOST CABIN PRESSURE. HE SWITCHED TO ?ALTERNATE AIR? AND BEGAN TO SMELL ENGINE FUMES. HE DESCENDED TO 10K FEET. HE ENCOUNTERED IMC AT 13,500 FT AND REALIZED HE WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. HE LOST COMMUNICATION WITH WASHINGTON TOWER. HE WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR A SUITABLE FIELD. HE LANDED GEAR UP IN A COTTON FIELD SUSTAINING DAMAGE TO THE RADOME ON THE RIGHT WING AND SOME BELLY DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
Other reports on N14EX · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.