What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 11, 2021 at approximately 1530 local time a Beech aircraft C23 sundowner registration number N793Y with the pilot and one passenger departed on a part 91 flight from (rrl) Merrill, WI. One hour into the flight, approximately 5 miles from rrl at 1300 AGL, and beginning to plan his 45 degree entry into a left downwind pattern to land on runway 07, the pilot stated the engine began to run roughly with a loss of RPM. The pilot reported increasing the throttle to full power from approximately 2000 - 2100 RPM without any improvement in the engine. The pilot reported switching fuel tanks, thinking that there might be contamination; there was no improvement, and RPM continued to decrease. The pilot switched from "both" magnetos to "l" magneto then back to "both" then to the "r" magneto and then back to "both". There was no improvement and the engine continued to lose power. The pilot chose a field to land in and turned into the wind. The pilot stated ?as I approached the ground, I saw power lines at the end of the field and I turned the plane approximately 45 degrees (to land heading nw)?, the landing gear failed after touching the ground, and the plane skidded to a halt. The pilot reported the engine was running at time of impact. No other discrepancies with the aircraft were reported. Day VMC conditions prevailed at the time.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 11, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 LOCAL TIME A BEECH AIRCRAFT C23 SUNDOWNER REGISTRATION NUMBER N793Y WITH THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER DEPARTED ON A PART 91 FLIGHT FROM (RRL) MERRILL, WI. ONE HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT, APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES FROM RRL AT 1300 AGL, AND BEGINNING TO PLAN HIS 45 DEGREE ENTRY INTO A LEFT DOWNWIND PATTERN TO LAND ON RUNWAY 07, THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY WITH A LOSS OF RPM. THE PILOT REPORTED INCREASING THE THROTTLE TO FULL POWER FROM APPROXIMATELY 2000 - 2100 RPM WITHOUT ANY IMPROVEMENT IN THE ENGINE. THE PILOT REPORTED SWITCHING FUEL TANKS, THINKING THAT THERE MIGHT BE CONTAMINATION; THERE WAS NO IMPROVEMENT, AND RPM CONTINUED TO DECREASE. THE PILOT SWITCHED FROM "BOTH" MAGNETOS TO "L" MAGNETO THEN BACK TO "BOTH" THEN TO THE "R" MAGNETO AND THEN BACK TO "BOTH". THERE WAS NO IMPROVEMENT AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT CHOSE A FIELD TO LAND IN AND TURNED INTO THE WIND. THE PILOT STATED ?AS I APPROACHED THE GROUND, I SAW POWER LINES AT THE END OF THE FIELD AND I TURNED THE PLANE APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES (TO LAND HEADING NW)?, THE LANDING GEAR FAILED AFTER TOUCHING THE GROUND, AND THE PLANE SKIDDED TO A HALT. THE PILOT REPORTED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT TIME OF IMPACT. NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES WITH THE AIRCRAFT WERE REPORTED. DAY VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N793Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.