What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 4th, 2023 the private pilot (PIC) was conducting a time building/proficiency flight in N9111L. The PIC stated that the fuel tanks had approximately 24 gallons total and was planning a fuel burn of 6 gph. The PIC departed Lake Elmo Airport (21D) to the south at 1330 central time to the first of several destinations. The first destination was stanton airfield (ksyn) at approximately 1400 central time and performed two low approaches only. The next destination was faribault municipal airport (kfbl) at approximately 1430 central time. The PIC performed two touch-and-goes. The third destination was red wing airport (krgk) at approximately 1500 central time. The PIC performed one touch-and-go. The fourth destination was menomonie municipal airport (klum) at approximately 1530 central time. The PIC preformed one touch-and-go and one full stop landing, followed by a departure toward 21D. The PIC chose to fly at 4,500’ MSL to return to 21D and noticed that his ground speed was approximately 45 knots. He chose to descend to 3,000’ MSL and saw an increase to 55 knots. He descended to 2,500’ where the ground speed increased to 58 knots. Each descent was made with a power setting of 1,700 RPM and descent rate of 500 fpm with the carburetor heat applied. The PIC listened to the weather at 21D approximately 25 miles from the destination. The PIC made a 3 mile call from left downwind runway 14 at 21D. Right after the traffic call, the PIC noticed the engines sputter and increased the mixture to full rich, applied carburetor heat, ensured the fuel selector was on and that the magnetos were selected to both. The aircraft descended from 2,500’ to 2,100’ MSL and the PIC pitched for best glide speed of 60 mph and made declared mayday on the CTAF frequency approximately two miles away. The PIC impacted trees at the edge of a field that he was attempting to land in which caused the aircraft to spin 180° and strike the ground in a nose down, right wing low, attitude at approximately 1630 central time. The aircraft was airborne for approximately three hours.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 4TH, 2023 THE PRIVATE PILOT (PIC) WAS CONDUCTING A TIME BUILDING/PROFICIENCY FLIGHT IN N9111L. THE PIC STATED THAT THE FUEL TANKS HAD APPROXIMATELY 24 GALLONS TOTAL AND WAS PLANNING A FUEL BURN OF 6 GPH. THE PIC DEPARTED LAKE ELMO AIRPORT (21D) TO THE SOUTH AT 1330 CENTRAL TIME TO THE FIRST OF SEVERAL DESTINATIONS. THE FIRST DESTINATION WAS STANTON AIRFIELD (KSYN) AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 CENTRAL TIME AND PERFORMED TWO LOW APPROACHES ONLY. THE NEXT DESTINATION WAS FARIBAULT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KFBL) AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 CENTRAL TIME. THE PIC PERFORMED TWO TOUCH-AND-GOES. THE THIRD DESTINATION WAS RED WING AIRPORT (KRGK) AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 CENTRAL TIME. THE PIC PERFORMED ONE TOUCH-AND-GO. THE FOURTH DESTINATION WAS MENOMONIE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KLUM) AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 CENTRAL TIME. THE PIC PREFORMED ONE TOUCH-AND-GO AND ONE FULL STOP LANDING, FOLLOWED BY A DEPARTURE TOWARD 21D. THE PIC CHOSE TO FLY AT 4,500’ MSL TO RETURN TO 21D AND NOTICED THAT HIS GROUND SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 45 KNOTS. HE CHOSE TO DESCEND TO 3,000’ MSL AND SAW AN INCREASE TO 55 KNOTS. HE DESCENDED TO 2,500’ WHERE THE GROUND SPEED INCREASED TO 58 KNOTS. EACH DESCENT WAS MADE WITH A POWER SETTING OF 1,700 RPM AND DESCENT RATE OF 500 FPM WITH THE CARBURETOR HEAT APPLIED. THE PIC LISTENED TO THE WEATHER AT 21D APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION. THE PIC MADE A 3 MILE CALL FROM LEFT DOWNWIND RUNWAY 14 AT 21D. RIGHT AFTER THE TRAFFIC CALL, THE PIC NOTICED THE ENGINES SPUTTER AND INCREASED THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH, APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, ENSURED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON AND THAT THE MAGNETOS WERE SELECTED TO BOTH. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED FROM 2,500’ TO 2,100’ MSL AND THE PIC PITCHED FOR BEST GLIDE SPEED OF 60 MPH AND MADE DECLARED MAYDAY ON THE CTAF FREQUENCY APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES AWAY. THE PIC IMPACTED TREES AT THE EDGE OF A FIELD THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO SPIN 180° AND STRIKE THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING LOW, ATTITUDE AT APPROXIMATELY 1630 CENTRAL TIME. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.