What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 10/19/2018 at 1100 CDT, a Piper PA-28-161, s/n 28-7916472, was conducting a 14 CFR part 91 training flight when the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power and made a precautionary landing on an unimproved dirt road (30°09?53.36?n, 95°41?59.10?w) in Pinehurst, Texas. The aircraft originated at david wayne hooks memorial airport, kdwh, and was on the way back into the airport after an approximate 2 hour flight. No aircraft damage was encountered during the landing on the dirt road.
The commercial rated pilot indicated that he was giving flight instruction to a student, with the student flying inbound to kdwh at 3000?. During a reduction of power and descent to 2000?, the aircraft experienced the rough running engine. At that time the pilot took control of the aircraft and attempted to troubleshoot the power issue by adding carburetor heat and throttle adjustment, at which time he noticed reduced power performance and increased airframe vibration. He contacted kdwh tower and requested priority landing. As the aircraft continued towards kdwh the engine RPM?s continued to drop, so he turned the carburetor heat off, after which the engine experienced total power loss. He informed kdwh tower that he would be setting the aircraft down in a field approximately 10 nautical miles northwest of the airport, but was able to land on the dirt road.
The aircraft records indicate that the last airframe and engine 50 hour inspections were completed at hobbs time: 4122.0. At the time of the incident, the aircraft had accumulated approximately 29.1 hours since the last 50 hour inspection. Maintenance inspected and adjusted the carburetor mixture linkage and the mixture rich/lean needle and ran the engine with satisfactory performance. The carburetor was installed on 9/2/2016, and had accumulated 1752 hours TSO prior to the incident. The aircraft was returned to service and flown back to kdwh.
As the FAA filed it
ON 10/19/2018 AT 1100 CDT, A PIPER PA-28-161, S/N 28-7916472, WAS CONDUCTING A 14 CFR PART 91 TRAINING FLIGHT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON AN UNIMPROVED DIRT ROAD (30°09?53.36?N, 95°41?59.10?W) IN PINEHURST, TEXAS. THE AIRCRAFT ORIGINATED AT DAVID WAYNE HOOKS MEMORIAL AIRPORT, KDWH, AND WAS ON THE WAY BACK INTO THE AIRPORT AFTER AN APPROXIMATE 2 HOUR FLIGHT. NO AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS ENCOUNTERED DURING THE LANDING ON THE DIRT ROAD.
THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT INDICATED THAT HE WAS GIVING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION TO A STUDENT, WITH THE STUDENT FLYING INBOUND TO KDWH AT 3000?. DURING A REDUCTION OF POWER AND DESCENT TO 2000?, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED THE ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. AT THAT TIME THE PILOT TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ATTEMPTED TO TROUBLESHOOT THE POWER ISSUE BY ADDING CARBURETOR HEAT AND THROTTLE ADJUSTMENT, AT WHICH TIME HE NOTICED REDUCED POWER PERFORMANCE AND INCREASED AIRFRAME VIBRATION. HE CONTACTED KDWH TOWER AND REQUESTED PRIORITY LANDING. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TOWARDS KDWH THE ENGINE RPM?S CONTINUED TO DROP, SO HE TURNED THE CARBURETOR HEAT OFF, AFTER WHICH THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED TOTAL POWER LOSS. HE INFORMED KDWH TOWER THAT HE WOULD BE SETTING THE AIRCRAFT DOWN IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 10 NAUTICAL MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT, BUT WAS ABLE TO LAND ON THE DIRT ROAD.
THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE LAST AIRFRAME AND ENGINE 50 HOUR INSPECTIONS WERE COMPLETED AT HOBBS TIME: 4122.0. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 29.1 HOURS SINCE THE LAST 50 HOUR INSPECTION. MAINTENANCE INSPECTED AND ADJUSTED THE CARBURETOR MIXTURE LINKAGE AND THE MIXTURE RICH/LEAN NEEDLE AND RAN THE ENGINE WITH SATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE. THE CARBURETOR WAS INSTALLED ON 9/2/2016, AND HAD ACCUMULATED 1752 HOURS TSO PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE AND FLOWN BACK TO KDWH.