What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
An experimental light sport (elsa), model WA-3, departed the Shreveport, LA Downtown (kdtn) airport to conduct pattern work. After a normal engine run-up and systems check, the pilot was cleared for take-off on runway 14 and was told by ATC to utilize a left pattern approach. The pilot performed a normal take-off and reached decision height on his downwind leg of the traffic pattern. When abeam the numbers, the pilot reduced throttle and noticed the engine ran rough and felt vibration. The pilot increased throttle and the engine smoothed out and the vibration went away. The pilot notified ATC of his base turn, then reduced throttle, and turned for final approach to runway 14. While descending from 400 to 300 feet altitude, the engine began to run rough and the pilot observed a “low RPM warning” indication. The pilot immediately increased throttle and the engine died completely. The pilot quickly assessed the situation and attempted an unsuccessful engine restart. The pilot lowered the nose to maintain flying speed, then leveled out before impacting runway 14. The engine power loss and inflight shutdown contributed to the elsa’s hard landing with the nose and RH main landing gear collapsing at 1633CST/2233Z.
As the FAA filed it
AN EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT (ELSA), MODEL WA-3, DEPARTED THE SHREVEPORT, LA DOWNTOWN (KDTN) AIRPORT TO CONDUCT PATTERN WORK. AFTER A NORMAL ENGINE RUN-UP AND SYSTEMS CHECK, THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF ON RUNWAY 14 AND WAS TOLD BY ATC TO UTILIZE A LEFT PATTERN APPROACH. THE PILOT PERFORMED A NORMAL TAKE-OFF AND REACHED DECISION HEIGHT ON HIS DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. WHEN ABEAM THE NUMBERS, THE PILOT REDUCED THROTTLE AND NOTICED THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH AND FELT VIBRATION. THE PILOT INCREASED THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE SMOOTHED OUT AND THE VIBRATION WENT AWAY. THE PILOT NOTIFIED ATC OF HIS BASE TURN, THEN REDUCED THROTTLE, AND TURNED FOR FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 14. WHILE DESCENDING FROM 400 TO 300 FEET ALTITUDE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THE PILOT OBSERVED A “LOW RPM WARNING” INDICATION. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY INCREASED THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE DIED COMPLETELY. THE PILOT QUICKLY ASSESSED THE SITUATION AND ATTEMPTED AN UNSUCCESSFUL ENGINE RESTART. THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED, THEN LEVELED OUT BEFORE IMPACTING RUNWAY 14. THE ENGINE POWER LOSS AND INFLIGHT SHUTDOWN CONTRIBUTED TO THE ELSA’S HARD LANDING WITH THE NOSE AND RH MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSING AT 1633CST/2233Z.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.