What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot and 1 passenger took off from private strip, XS53, near peaster, TX enroute to bridgeport (kxbp) to fill aircraft with gas. They encountered low clouds and changed plans to divert to Mineral Wells (mwl) instead. Aircraft was configured to land at mwl and on final when pilot realized although the engine was running, it was not making power. Pilot verified fuel pressure and manifold pressure normal for low power setting but throttle increase did not bring increase in power. Pilot realized they would not make runway and diverted right to avoid trees, fence, and road to land in soft field. Aircraft landed on mains but when nose gear made contact it collapsed. Aircraft came to rest nose down 60' beyond first contact. Scar on ground indicates right wing tip also made contact after nose gear collapse. Wrinkles in skin indicate wing spar damage and possible engine firewall damage.
Substantial damage.
No visible leaks and no sign of fire.
Pilot and passenger exited aircraft with minor injuries. Pilot air evacuated to hospital with back injury. Passenger transported by ground to hospital. Both released later in the day.
VFR conditions at time of accident.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT AND 1 PASSENGER TOOK OFF FROM PRIVATE STRIP, XS53, NEAR PEASTER, TX ENROUTE TO BRIDGEPORT (KXBP) TO FILL AIRCRAFT WITH GAS. THEY ENCOUNTERED LOW CLOUDS AND CHANGED PLANS TO DIVERT TO MINERAL WELLS (MWL) INSTEAD. AIRCRAFT WAS CONFIGURED TO LAND AT MWL AND ON FINAL WHEN PILOT REALIZED ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, IT WAS NOT MAKING POWER. PILOT VERIFIED FUEL PRESSURE AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE NORMAL FOR LOW POWER SETTING BUT THROTTLE INCREASE DID NOT BRING INCREASE IN POWER. PILOT REALIZED THEY WOULD NOT MAKE RUNWAY AND DIVERTED RIGHT TO AVOID TREES, FENCE, AND ROAD TO LAND IN SOFT FIELD. AIRCRAFT LANDED ON MAINS BUT WHEN NOSE GEAR MADE CONTACT IT COLLAPSED. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST NOSE DOWN 60' BEYOND FIRST CONTACT. SCAR ON GROUND INDICATES RIGHT WING TIP ALSO MADE CONTACT AFTER NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE. WRINKLES IN SKIN INDICATE WING SPAR DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE ENGINE FIREWALL DAMAGE.
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NO VISIBLE LEAKS AND NO SIGN OF FIRE.
PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES. PILOT AIR EVACUATED TO HOSPITAL WITH BACK INJURY. PASSENGER TRANSPORTED BY GROUND TO HOSPITAL. BOTH RELEASED LATER IN THE DAY.
VFR CONDITIONS AT TIME OF ACCIDENT.
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 N5ML · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.