What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During his third unsupervised flight, the pilot had taken off from Hemet-Ryan Airport (khmt) in aircraft N5229F, with the intentions of flying back to March arb, CA (kriv). At approximately 600 feet AGL, after his first takeoff from khmt, he experienced a large bang noise associated with immediate subtle engine vibrations. This led him to complete a 180 degree turn and enter the downwind to land on runway 23. He had turned to base early, with anticipation of getting the aircraft on the ground, causing the aircraft to be 300 AGL feet above the airfield. He initiated a go-around to attempt another approach.
On the final approach the aircraft began to cough and was sluggish to power input, resulting in the engine stopping approximately 200-300 feet from the runway. During this process he did not notice the position of the oil or RPM gages, due to being close to the ground. He was able to fly the aircraft to the runway. Once on the ground, while rolling down the runway, he communicated with other traffic that was in the pattern and advised them of his situation. Due to fire tankers from cal fire operating out of hmt, he elected to pull the aircraft to the side of the runway in the grass in order to keep the runway active.
After the landing, he was towed to a parking spot where the aircraft had noticeable oil streaks down the bottom of the fuselage as well as the gear struts. No damage was found on the fuselage, wings, or propeller.
Upon inspection of the engine by their mechanic, it was determined that a piston had failed, so a newly rebuilt engine was installed and returned to service.
As the FAA filed it
DURING HIS THIRD UNSUPERVISED FLIGHT, THE PILOT HAD TAKEN OFF FROM HEMET-RYAN AIRPORT (KHMT) IN AIRCRAFT N5229F, WITH THE INTENTIONS OF FLYING BACK TO MARCH ARB, CA (KRIV). AT APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET AGL, AFTER HIS FIRST TAKEOFF FROM KHMT, HE EXPERIENCED A LARGE BANG NOISE ASSOCIATED WITH IMMEDIATE SUBTLE ENGINE VIBRATIONS. THIS LED HIM TO COMPLETE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND ENTER THE DOWNWIND TO LAND ON RUNWAY 23. HE HAD TURNED TO BASE EARLY, WITH ANTICIPATION OF GETTING THE AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BE 300 AGL FEET ABOVE THE AIRFIELD. HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND TO ATTEMPT ANOTHER APPROACH.
ON THE FINAL APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO COUGH AND WAS SLUGGISH TO POWER INPUT, RESULTING IN THE ENGINE STOPPING APPROXIMATELY 200-300 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY. DURING THIS PROCESS HE DID NOT NOTICE THE POSITION OF THE OIL OR RPM GAGES, DUE TO BEING CLOSE TO THE GROUND. HE WAS ABLE TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RUNWAY. ONCE ON THE GROUND, WHILE ROLLING DOWN THE RUNWAY, HE COMMUNICATED WITH OTHER TRAFFIC THAT WAS IN THE PATTERN AND ADVISED THEM OF HIS SITUATION. DUE TO FIRE TANKERS FROM CAL FIRE OPERATING OUT OF HMT, HE ELECTED TO PULL THE AIRCRAFT TO THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY IN THE GRASS IN ORDER TO KEEP THE RUNWAY ACTIVE.
AFTER THE LANDING, HE WAS TOWED TO A PARKING SPOT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOTICEABLE OIL STREAKS DOWN THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE AS WELL AS THE GEAR STRUTS. NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND ON THE FUSELAGE, WINGS, OR PROPELLER.
UPON INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE BY THEIR MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A PISTON HAD FAILED, SO A NEWLY REBUILT ENGINE WAS INSTALLED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE.
Other reports on N5229F · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.