What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 30, 2018, about 2025 eastern standard time, a Cessna LC41-550FG, N78JE, was substantially damaged during a forced landing at Apopka airport (X04), Apopka, Florida. The private pilot was not injured. Night, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight to X04. The flight originated at greater binghamton airport (bgm), binghamton, new york about 1520.the pilot reported that he departed bgm with 102 gallons of fuel on board. Following an uneventful flight, he set up for a visual approach to runway 33 at X04. While on final approach , he observed animals on the runway. He performed a go-around and noted that the engine did not produce full power when the throttle was advanced. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane would not maintain altitude, so the pilot performed a forced landing. The airplane collided with trees and came to rest in a wooded area off the airport property.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 30, 2018, ABOUT 2025 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA LC41-550FG, N78JE, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING AT APOPKA AIRPORT (X04), APOPKA, FLORIDA. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. NIGHT, VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT TO X04. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT GREATER BINGHAMTON AIRPORT (BGM), BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK ABOUT 1520.THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DEPARTED BGM WITH 102 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. FOLLOWING AN UNEVENTFUL FLIGHT, HE SET UP FOR A VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 33 AT X04. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH , HE OBSERVED ANIMALS ON THE RUNWAY. HE PERFORMED A GO-AROUND AND NOTED THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE FULL POWER WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED. WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, SO THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CAME TO REST IN A WOODED AREA OFF THE AIRPORT PROPERTY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.