What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omittedDeparted gqq airport to remain in the area for a solo/ practice flight. Aircraft was airborne upwind from runway 23 at approximately 300FT AGL when the engine began to run rough. The pilot attempted to make a turn to the downwind leg of the pattern when the engine quit. Pilot elected to land on the road paradelle to the runway as he did not have sufficient altitude to make the runway. Aircraft struck the ground right wing down, slid into a telephone wire pole and spun around to the opposite direction. The tail was sheared off and the right main gear and nosewheel were bent and collapsed. Propeller had damage consistent with a windmilling or stopped engine. With slight damage to one blade and moderate curling back on the other. The pilot was not injured.
Upon inspection the aircraft appeared to have sufficient fuel of the proper grade and color. No water was noted in the fuel when sampled. The engine had a fresh oil change and had oil in the engine when checked. The compression was checked by hand and the number 2 cylinder appeared to have little to no compression. Further examination the exhaust valve appeared to be stuck in the most open position possible. The valve was stuck open and even with moderate force it would not move, open or closed. The bottom plug and top plug appeared very dark (black) with residue.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^DEPARTED GQQ AIRPORT TO REMAIN IN THE AREA FOR A SOLO/ PRACTICE FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE UPWIND FROM RUNWAY 23 AT APPROXIMATELY 300FT AGL WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN TO THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE PATTERN WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE ROAD PARADELLE TO THE RUNWAY AS HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO MAKE THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND RIGHT WING DOWN, SLID INTO A TELEPHONE WIRE POLE AND SPUN AROUND TO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE TAIL WAS SHEARED OFF AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND NOSEWHEEL WERE BENT AND COLLAPSED. PROPELLER HAD DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH A WINDMILLING OR STOPPED ENGINE. WITH SLIGHT DAMAGE TO ONE BLADE AND MODERATE CURLING BACK ON THE OTHER. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
UPON INSPECTION THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL OF THE PROPER GRADE AND COLOR. NO WATER WAS NOTED IN THE FUEL WHEN SAMPLED. THE ENGINE HAD A FRESH OIL CHANGE AND HAD OIL IN THE ENGINE WHEN CHECKED. THE COMPRESSION WAS CHECKED BY HAND AND THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER APPEARED TO HAVE LITTLE TO NO COMPRESSION. FURTHER EXAMINATION THE EXHAUST VALVE APPEARED TO BE STUCK IN THE MOST OPEN POSITION POSSIBLE. THE VALVE WAS STUCK OPEN AND EVEN WITH MODERATE FORCE IT WOULD NOT MOVE, OPEN OR CLOSED. THE BOTTOM PLUG AND TOP PLUG APPEARED VERY DARK (BLACK) WITH RESIDUE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.