What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Cottrellville, Michigan (near Marine City Airport ? K76G)
On 6/21/2019 @ 1935 (e.s.t.) a Piper PA-28-180 aircraft, U.S. Registered as N2360R, was being operated by owner / sole occupant, into a landing approach to runway (4) (K76G).
Following a prior flight from Marine City (K76G) to pontiac, Michigan (kptk), (whereas a fuel slip obtained from K76G, shows that N2360R took on 14.8 gallons of fuel at that time):
Aircraft return flight from pontiac mi., ( kptk) to Marine City Airport (K76G) departure at 2238Z (1738 local) was travelling due east, (an approximately 30 minute flight). Upon initial VMC approach, the pilot voluntarily elected to perform a ?go around? For sight-seeing purposes, then travelling west, in preparation for turn for a north-east approach. Before turn towards runway could be executed, pilot reported that aircraft was determined to be too low in altitude and airspeed to maintain a proper turn and approach to runway. Pilot reported that he made a demand for power by advancing the throttle, in order to gain altitude, but that the engine did not provide anticipated acceleration needed to provide the necessary altitude and airspeed for a proper landing.
Pilot reported that he only had @1800 or 2200 RPM available when the aircraft throttle was fully advanced. The pilot originally stated to FAA that the throttle was fully advanced, but that the engine would not accelerate as anticipated. (The pilot later reported to FAA that the throttle would not physically advance past the center of its full throw.) The aircraft did impact the ground, in a large marsh field about 300 yards behind residential homes; which is about a half mile south-west from the (4) runway approach. The aircraft wings were broken from the fuselage, as well as the nose wheel. The pilot was extricated from the aircraft approximately two hours after impact, by local first responders. There was 1 injury (the PIC) and no fatalities. Immediate statements were provided by the pilot, and by local witnesses, to local law enforcement representatives.
As the FAA filed it
COTTRELLVILLE, MICHIGAN (NEAR MARINE CITY AIRPORT ? K76G)
ON 6/21/2019 @ 1935 (E.S.T.) A PIPER PA-28-180 AIRCRAFT, U.S. REGISTERED AS N2360R, WAS BEING OPERATED BY OWNER / SOLE OCCUPANT, INTO A LANDING APPROACH TO RUNWAY (4) (K76G).
FOLLOWING A PRIOR FLIGHT FROM MARINE CITY (K76G) TO PONTIAC, MICHIGAN (KPTK), (WHEREAS A FUEL SLIP OBTAINED FROM K76G, SHOWS THAT N2360R TOOK ON 14.8 GALLONS OF FUEL AT THAT TIME):
AIRCRAFT RETURN FLIGHT FROM PONTIAC MI., ( KPTK) TO MARINE CITY AIRPORT (K76G) DEPARTURE AT 2238Z (1738 LOCAL) WAS TRAVELLING DUE EAST, (AN APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTE FLIGHT). UPON INITIAL VMC APPROACH, THE PILOT VOLUNTARILY ELECTED TO PERFORM A ?GO AROUND? FOR SIGHT-SEEING PURPOSES, THEN TRAVELLING WEST, IN PREPARATION FOR TURN FOR A NORTH-EAST APPROACH. BEFORE TURN TOWARDS RUNWAY COULD BE EXECUTED, PILOT REPORTED THAT AIRCRAFT WAS DETERMINED TO BE TOO LOW IN ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED TO MAINTAIN A PROPER TURN AND APPROACH TO RUNWAY. PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A DEMAND FOR POWER BY ADVANCING THE THROTTLE, IN ORDER TO GAIN ALTITUDE, BUT THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT PROVIDE ANTICIPATED ACCELERATION NEEDED TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED FOR A PROPER LANDING.
PILOT REPORTED THAT HE ONLY HAD @1800 OR 2200 RPM AVAILABLE WHEN THE AIRCRAFT THROTTLE WAS FULLY ADVANCED. THE PILOT ORIGINALLY STATED TO FAA THAT THE THROTTLE WAS FULLY ADVANCED, BUT THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AS ANTICIPATED. (THE PILOT LATER REPORTED TO FAA THAT THE THROTTLE WOULD NOT PHYSICALLY ADVANCE PAST THE CENTER OF ITS FULL THROW.) THE AIRCRAFT DID IMPACT THE GROUND, IN A LARGE MARSH FIELD ABOUT 300 YARDS BEHIND RESIDENTIAL HOMES; WHICH IS ABOUT A HALF MILE SOUTH-WEST FROM THE (4) RUNWAY APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT WINGS WERE BROKEN FROM THE FUSELAGE, AS WELL AS THE NOSE WHEEL. THE PILOT WAS EXTRICATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AFTER IMPACT, BY LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS. THERE WAS 1 INJURY (THE PIC) AND NO FATALITIES. IMMEDIATE STATEMENTS WERE PROVIDED BY THE PILOT, AND BY LOCAL WITNESSES, TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPRESENTATIVES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.