What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 2/24/23 the airplane departed sutter county airport (O52) at approximately 14:30 LCL enroute to fairways airport (OG20) for a planned trip lasting 4 hours. The PIC for this flight had completed the flight from fairways to sutter county two days before. After the flight down to sutter county, the pilot topped off the airplane's fuel tank. It took 21.7 gallons to fill the tank which holds 28 gallons of fuel. After approximately 4 hours flight time on the 24th, the pilot began to initiate a decent in preparation for entering the traffic pattern at fairways airport. The pilot stated that at this point the engine began to "sputter". The pilot determined that he should not try to "make it" to fairways but instead try to land at a closer airport, mulino state (4$9). After what seemed to be only a few seconds the engine stopped running entirely. The pilot completed a power off landing in a field short of mulino state airport. There were no injuries or fatalities.
During a post crash interview where pictures of the airplane were provided, the NTSB investigator determined that this event would be classified as an accident given the severity of the damage.
A phone interview with the pilot conducted by FAA inspector privacy data omittedrevealed that he had not followed the airplane's pre landing checklist (applying carburator heat prior to a power reduction). The pilot stated that upon reflection he thought the engine roughness and eventual stoppage could have been a result of carburator ice forming with the reduction in power. The pilot stated that during the brief period of time bewteen the engine "sputtering" and its eventual stoppage, he was focused on preparing for a power-off landing and maneuvering the airplane to avoid obstacles (trees). He did not follow the engine running rough emergency procedure and apply carburator heat at that time either.
A local sherriff deputy from clark county was first on scene after the accident. He helped to facilitate the initial phone interview bewteen the pilot and the NTSB and FAA investigators. The deputy was able to check the fuel tank for any remaining fuel. There was no fuel in the tank but the gascolator had been destroyed during the impact and it was possible that the remaining fuel had leaked out from the broken assembly.
As the FAA filed it
ON 2/24/23 THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED SUTTER COUNTY AIRPORT (O52) AT APPROXIMATELY 14:30 LCL ENROUTE TO FAIRWAYS AIRPORT (OG20) FOR A PLANNED TRIP LASTING 4 HOURS. THE PIC FOR THIS FLIGHT HAD COMPLETED THE FLIGHT FROM FAIRWAYS TO SUTTER COUNTY TWO DAYS BEFORE. AFTER THE FLIGHT DOWN TO SUTTER COUNTY, THE PILOT TOPPED OFF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANK. IT TOOK 21.7 GALLONS TO FILL THE TANK WHICH HOLDS 28 GALLONS OF FUEL. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS FLIGHT TIME ON THE 24TH, THE PILOT BEGAN TO INITIATE A DECENT IN PREPARATION FOR ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT FAIRWAYS AIRPORT. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO "SPUTTER". THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT HE SHOULD NOT TRY TO "MAKE IT" TO FAIRWAYS BUT INSTEAD TRY TO LAND AT A CLOSER AIRPORT, MULINO STATE (4$9). AFTER WHAT SEEMED TO BE ONLY A FEW SECONDS THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING ENTIRELY. THE PILOT COMPLETED A POWER OFF LANDING IN A FIELD SHORT OF MULINO STATE AIRPORT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES.
DURING A POST CRASH INTERVIEW WHERE PICTURES OF THE AIRPLANE WERE PROVIDED, THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THAT THIS EVENT WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS AN ACCIDENT GIVEN THE SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE.
A PHONE INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT CONDUCTED BY FAA INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^REVEALED THAT HE HAD NOT FOLLOWED THE AIRPLANE'S PRE LANDING CHECKLIST (APPLYING CARBURATOR HEAT PRIOR TO A POWER REDUCTION). THE PILOT STATED THAT UPON REFLECTION HE THOUGHT THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS AND EVENTUAL STOPPAGE COULD HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF CARBURATOR ICE FORMING WITH THE REDUCTION IN POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME BEWTEEN THE ENGINE "SPUTTERING" AND ITS EVENTUAL STOPPAGE, HE WAS FOCUSED ON PREPARING FOR A POWER-OFF LANDING AND MANEUVERING THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID OBSTACLES (TREES). HE DID NOT FOLLOW THE ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH EMERGENCY PROCEDURE AND APPLY CARBURATOR HEAT AT THAT TIME EITHER.
A LOCAL SHERRIFF DEPUTY FROM CLARK COUNTY WAS FIRST ON SCENE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE HELPED TO FACILITATE THE INITIAL PHONE INTERVIEW BEWTEEN THE PILOT AND THE NTSB AND FAA INVESTIGATORS. THE DEPUTY WAS ABLE TO CHECK THE FUEL TANK FOR ANY REMAINING FUEL. THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE TANK BUT THE GASCOLATOR HAD BEEN DESTROYED DURING THE IMPACT AND IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE REMAINING FUEL HAD LEAKED OUT FROM THE BROKEN ASSEMBLY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.