What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 22, 2022 at approximately 16:45 local time, aircraft privacy data omitted, a RV10 experimental amateur built aircraft, on a part 91 VFR flight landed in a soccer field on privacy data omitted. The aircraft landed in the east direction. The pilot reported, ?while flying level at 1800 ft, we all heard a very loud pop in the engine area, immediately we had smoke fill the cockpit. I noticed a soccer field just to my left and instantly turned toward it. I made a decision to be committed to landing in that field. I made pitch adjustments to assure enough distance to the high tension power lines without stalling. After landing successfully, I struck a soccer goal with my right wing. The goal post pulled us violently to the right and pulled us in the direction of a port-a-john and a street light. After striking the light pole we came to a stop with the port-a-john under the left wing.?
Evidence of ground scars in the soccer field indicate the aircraft landing and striking the goal post, light pole and porta-john. The aircraft had damage on the left and right wing and fuselage consistent with striking the items on landing.
An inspection of the aircraft showed approximately 15 gallons of fuel in each wing. The fuel was blue in color, clear with no water noted.
Inspection of the engine found the number 6 cylinder lower plug wire not connected to the number 6 spark plug, and the rubber boot hanging down resting against the exhaust tubes below the number 6 cylinder. Two burn marks were found on the spark plug boot.
The engine propeller was pulled through 2 rotations opposite of normal rotation for a quick check of compression. No discrepancies noted. Further engine investigation is pending.
The pilot noted in verbal conversation that he did not check his gauges for anomalies, and did not verify if he had engine power to maintain flight.
The wind was sw at 9 mph and VFR conditions prevailed at the time.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 22, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 16:45 LOCAL TIME, AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A RV10 EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT, ON A PART 91 VFR FLIGHT LANDED IN A SOCCER FIELD ON ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE EAST DIRECTION. THE PILOT REPORTED, ?WHILE FLYING LEVEL AT 1800 FT, WE ALL HEARD A VERY LOUD POP IN THE ENGINE AREA, IMMEDIATELY WE HAD SMOKE FILL THE COCKPIT. I NOTICED A SOCCER FIELD JUST TO MY LEFT AND INSTANTLY TURNED TOWARD IT. I MADE A DECISION TO BE COMMITTED TO LANDING IN THAT FIELD. I MADE PITCH ADJUSTMENTS TO ASSURE ENOUGH DISTANCE TO THE HIGH TENSION POWER LINES WITHOUT STALLING. AFTER LANDING SUCCESSFULLY, I STRUCK A SOCCER GOAL WITH MY RIGHT WING. THE GOAL POST PULLED US VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT AND PULLED US IN THE DIRECTION OF A PORT-A-JOHN AND A STREET LIGHT. AFTER STRIKING THE LIGHT POLE WE CAME TO A STOP WITH THE PORT-A-JOHN UNDER THE LEFT WING.?
EVIDENCE OF GROUND SCARS IN THE SOCCER FIELD INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT LANDING AND STRIKING THE GOAL POST, LIGHT POLE AND PORTA-JOHN. THE AIRCRAFT HAD DAMAGE ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING AND FUSELAGE CONSISTENT WITH STRIKING THE ITEMS ON LANDING.
AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED APPROXIMATELY 15 GALLONS OF FUEL IN EACH WING. THE FUEL WAS BLUE IN COLOR, CLEAR WITH NO WATER NOTED.
INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FOUND THE NUMBER 6 CYLINDER LOWER PLUG WIRE NOT CONNECTED TO THE NUMBER 6 SPARK PLUG, AND THE RUBBER BOOT HANGING DOWN RESTING AGAINST THE EXHAUST TUBES BELOW THE NUMBER 6 CYLINDER. TWO BURN MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE SPARK PLUG BOOT.
THE ENGINE PROPELLER WAS PULLED THROUGH 2 ROTATIONS OPPOSITE OF NORMAL ROTATION FOR A QUICK CHECK OF COMPRESSION. NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. FURTHER ENGINE INVESTIGATION IS PENDING.
THE PILOT NOTED IN VERBAL CONVERSATION THAT HE DID NOT CHECK HIS GAUGES FOR ANOMALIES, AND DID NOT VERIFY IF HE HAD ENGINE POWER TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT.
THE WIND WAS SW AT 9 MPH AND VFR 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.