What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A private rated airplane pilot on a solo flight for commercial airplane training experienced engine roughness on final approach for runway 12 left while flying N9219J, a PA-28-161, single engine airplane, at the Vero Beach, Florida, airport. The pilot reported to the tower that an emergency landing was imminent. About 500-600 feet above the ground the engine quit completely. When the pilot recognized that he was not able to reach runway 12 left, he chose to land on a road next to the jail. He maneuvered the airplane to avoid power lines and applied right rudder to avoid a power station towards the end, which turned the airplane into the bushes. The pilot experienced no injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged.
As the FAA filed it
A PRIVATE RATED AIRPLANE PILOT ON A SOLO FLIGHT FOR COMMERCIAL AIRPLANE TRAINING EXPERIENCED ENGINE ROUGHNESS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 12 LEFT WHILE FLYING N9219J, A PA-28-161, SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE, AT THE VERO BEACH, FLORIDA, AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE TOWER THAT AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS IMMINENT. ABOUT 500-600 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND THE ENGINE QUIT COMPLETELY. WHEN THE PILOT RECOGNIZED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO REACH RUNWAY 12 LEFT, HE CHOSE TO LAND ON A ROAD NEXT TO THE JAIL. HE MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID POWER LINES AND APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER TO AVOID A POWER STATION TOWARDS THE END, WHICH TURNED THE AIRPLANE INTO THE BUSHES. THE PILOT EXPERIENCED NO INJURIES AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.