What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Overview:
Airvraft experienced partial power lost then contacted power lines in the vicinity of Udall, KS.
On scene investigation:
On 05/08/2023 at 1330 I met with the airman at his hangar which is based at K50. He said that his route of flight on 05/02/2023 was K50-EQA-PNC-K50. The airman mentioned that the first two legs were uneventful, however on the last leg between pnc and K50 that the aircrafts engine “stumbled,” with loss of 5200 RPM at cruise power down to 4500 RPM, but then “regained, came right back in about 15 seconds.” this “stumbled” occurred approximately six miles north of cherokee strip field which is a grass strip. He was at an altitude of 1800’-2000’ MSL when the engine stumbled, so the airman decided to come down to 200’-400’ AGL over the fields just in case the engine failed. At this point the engine was running fine. When queried as to why the airman descended to 200’ to 400’ instead of climbing to a safe altitude or at least maintaining 1800’ to 2000’ he said that pilots with this type of aircraft were used to flying low.
He continues north fifteen to twenty minutes, then the engine stumbled again, the second stumble was FAR worse than the first one. He was following the rose hill road which goes through Udall. After the second stumble it was decided to make an emergency landing on the road. He didn’t see the wire that was hit, but saw others in the distant. After the initial hit, the aircraft climbed up to maybe 500’ AGL. The aircraft had good power to climb after the initial hit and had good power the remainder of the flight, then landed at K50. The rudder worked but didn’t feel the same. There was zero cross-wind during the landing at K50.
A witness contacted the cowley county sheriff’s office. An officer was able to contact privacy data omitted. It was reported that the witness has two still pictures.
On 05/03/2023 at 1542, I was contacted by the roc. I had conversations with three state troopers. It was my understanding that they also took pictures of the aircraft.
Included in the pictures of the aircraft are the registration certificate, airworthiness certificate, and the pilot certificates. I also requested from the airman that he provide aircraft logs and log book entries containing bi-annual and condition report entries.
As the FAA filed it
OVERVIEW:
AIRVRAFT EXPERIENCED PARTIAL POWER LOST THEN CONTACTED POWER LINES IN THE VICINITY OF UDALL, KS.
ON SCENE INVESTIGATION:
ON 05/08/2023 AT 1330 I MET WITH THE AIRMAN AT HIS HANGAR WHICH IS BASED AT K50. HE SAID THAT HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT ON 05/02/2023 WAS K50-EQA-PNC-K50. THE AIRMAN MENTIONED THAT THE FIRST TWO LEGS WERE UNEVENTFUL, HOWEVER ON THE LAST LEG BETWEEN PNC AND K50 THAT THE AIRCRAFTS ENGINE “STUMBLED,” WITH LOSS OF 5200 RPM AT CRUISE POWER DOWN TO 4500 RPM, BUT THEN “REGAINED, CAME RIGHT BACK IN ABOUT 15 SECONDS.” THIS “STUMBLED” OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY SIX MILES NORTH OF CHEROKEE STRIP FIELD WHICH IS A GRASS STRIP. HE WAS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1800’-2000’ MSL WHEN THE ENGINE STUMBLED, SO THE AIRMAN DECIDED TO COME DOWN TO 200’-400’ AGL OVER THE FIELDS JUST IN CASE THE ENGINE FAILED. AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE. WHEN QUERIED AS TO WHY THE AIRMAN DESCENDED TO 200’ TO 400’ INSTEAD OF CLIMBING TO A SAFE ALTITUDE OR AT LEAST MAINTAINING 1800’ TO 2000’ HE SAID THAT PILOTS WITH THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT WERE USED TO FLYING LOW.
HE CONTINUES NORTH FIFTEEN TO TWENTY MINUTES, THEN THE ENGINE STUMBLED AGAIN, THE SECOND STUMBLE WAS FAR WORSE THAN THE FIRST ONE. HE WAS FOLLOWING THE ROSE HILL ROAD WHICH GOES THROUGH UDALL. AFTER THE SECOND STUMBLE IT WAS DECIDED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE ROAD. HE DIDN’T SEE THE WIRE THAT WAS HIT, BUT SAW OTHERS IN THE DISTANT. AFTER THE INITIAL HIT, THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED UP TO MAYBE 500’ AGL. THE AIRCRAFT HAD GOOD POWER TO CLIMB AFTER THE INITIAL HIT AND HAD GOOD POWER THE REMAINDER OF THE FLIGHT, THEN LANDED AT K50. THE RUDDER WORKED BUT DIDN’T FEEL THE SAME. THERE WAS ZERO CROSS-WIND DURING THE LANDING AT K50.
A WITNESS CONTACTED THE COWLEY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. AN OFFICER WAS ABLE TO CONTACT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE WITNESS HAS TWO STILL PICTURES.
ON 05/03/2023 AT 1542, I WAS CONTACTED BY THE ROC. I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THREE STATE TROOPERS. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ALSO TOOK PICTURES OF THE AIRCRAFT.
INCLUDED IN THE PICTURES OF THE AIRCRAFT ARE THE REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE, AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE, AND THE PILOT CERTIFICATES. I ALSO REQUESTED FROM THE AIRMAN THAT HE PROVIDE AIRCRAFT LOGS AND LOG BOOK ENTRIES CONTAINING BI-ANNUAL AND CONDITION REPORT ENTRIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.