What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
All times are approximate. Alt and time data derived from aprs system tracking for KC9DAH transmitter operating in the aircraft at the time.
1550: Aircraft departed kfep rwy 6 after normal preflight and runup as per aircraft checklist.
1551: Climbout was normal to 2200 ft MSL. Flight proceeded direct to C77 (Poplar Grove)
1558: Decended to 1900MSL to avoid krfd trsa outer ring.
1605: Entered 45 angle for left downwind for rwy 30 at C77
1609: Landed C77. Taxi to parking and shutdown engine
1649: Engine start for departure back to kfep via rwy 30
1651: End of runway check completed. Runup normal no problems noted.
1653: Climbout from rwy 30 normal for first 60 sec
1654: I noted the aircraft not accelerating when nose lowered at full power. First hint of oil smoke in cockpit.
1654.15 Scan revealed a lower than normal oil pressure of 35 PSI. (This engine has always had 40-45 PSI oil pressure) oil smoke started to thicken. Scan also revealed that the oil temp was climbing. 220F max has been noted during previous climbouts. Oil temp was ~230F
1655 I lowered the nose to get more ram air cooling. This had no effect and smoke seemed to be getting worse
1656: Made radio call declaring I had oil pressure problems and was returning to the airport. Started left 180 turn at 658FT AGL.
1656.30 Completed turn @ 563 ft AGL and could hear engine loosing power. Scanning for C77 runway 12 revealed mostly trees between my position and the runway. I determined that I would not make the runway. I looked to my left and picked out my landing field.
1656.45 I made another radio call announcing my intension to land in a corn field 2 miles west of C77. With the engine still running I setup for an e to w landing into the prevailing wind.
1657. I made my final turn for landing at 327FT AGL. I deployed my speed brake ~ 50% and landed hard with (~1000FT) 50% of the field remaining. I bounced back into the air and held aft stick waiting for the aircraft to settle. It did settle and rolled about 100FT before the nosewheel dug into the soft ground and the aircraft flipped forward and over onto its back.
As the FAA filed it
ALL TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE. ALT AND TIME DATA DERIVED FROM APRS SYSTEM TRACKING FOR KC9DAH TRANSMITTER OPERATING IN THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME.
1550: AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KFEP RWY 6 AFTER NORMAL PREFLIGHT AND RUNUP AS PER AIRCRAFT CHECKLIST.
1551: CLIMBOUT WAS NORMAL TO 2200 FT MSL. FLIGHT PROCEEDED DIRECT TO C77 (POPLAR GROVE)
1558: DECENDED TO 1900MSL TO AVOID KRFD TRSA OUTER RING.
1605: ENTERED 45 ANGLE FOR LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 30 AT C77
1609: LANDED C77. TAXI TO PARKING AND SHUTDOWN ENGINE
1649: ENGINE START FOR DEPARTURE BACK TO KFEP VIA RWY 30
1651: END OF RUNWAY CHECK COMPLETED. RUNUP NORMAL NO PROBLEMS NOTED.
1653: CLIMBOUT FROM RWY 30 NORMAL FOR FIRST 60 SEC
1654: I NOTED THE AIRCRAFT NOT ACCELERATING WHEN NOSE LOWERED AT FULL POWER. FIRST HINT OF OIL SMOKE IN COCKPIT.
1654.15 SCAN REVEALED A LOWER THAN NORMAL OIL PRESSURE OF 35 PSI. (THIS ENGINE HAS ALWAYS HAD 40-45 PSI OIL PRESSURE) OIL SMOKE STARTED TO THICKEN. SCAN ALSO REVEALED THAT THE OIL TEMP WAS CLIMBING. 220F MAX HAS BEEN NOTED DURING PREVIOUS CLIMBOUTS. OIL TEMP WAS ~230F
1655 I LOWERED THE NOSE TO GET MORE RAM AIR COOLING. THIS HAD NO EFFECT AND SMOKE SEEMED TO BE GETTING WORSE
1656: MADE RADIO CALL DECLARING I HAD OIL PRESSURE PROBLEMS AND WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT. STARTED LEFT 180 TURN AT 658FT AGL.
1656.30 COMPLETED TURN @ 563 FT AGL AND COULD HEAR ENGINE LOOSING POWER. SCANNING FOR C77 RUNWAY 12 REVEALED MOSTLY TREES BETWEEN MY POSITION AND THE RUNWAY. I DETERMINED THAT I WOULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY. I LOOKED TO MY LEFT AND PICKED OUT MY LANDING FIELD.
1656.45 I MADE ANOTHER RADIO CALL ANNOUNCING MY INTENSION TO LAND IN A CORN FIELD 2 MILES WEST OF C77. WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING I SETUP FOR AN E TO W LANDING INTO THE PREVAILING WIND.
1657. I MADE MY FINAL TURN FOR LANDING AT 327FT AGL. I DEPLOYED MY SPEED BRAKE ~ 50% AND LANDED HARD WITH (~1000FT) 50% OF THE FIELD REMAINING. I BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR AND HELD AFT STICK WAITING FOR THE AIRCRAFT TO SETTLE. IT DID SETTLE AND ROLLED ABOUT 100FT BEFORE THE NOSEWHEEL DUG INTO THE SOFT GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED FORWARD AND OVER ONTO ITS BACK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.