What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 8/11/23, PIC of a CE-172P made an emergency landing on an open field in Port Norris, NJ, while enroute from eagles nest airport, NJ (31N) to cape may airport, NJ (wwd). While over the Delaware bay, the PIC reported intermittent engine power loss while cruising at an altitude of 3000 ft. the PIC declared an emergency, and upon navigation to the closest airport, millville airport, NJ (miv), the PIC decided his best option for a safe landing was to land in a nearby farm field. The PIC initated a left pattern 180 power off approach into the open field and touched down in the middle of the field, approximately 50 yards from a slightly elevated street. The aircraft continued until it contacted the street, the left wingtip contacted a utility pole and separated from the aircraft, the aircraft continued into a field, the nose gear dug into the ground, separated, and subsequently flipped the aircraft over into an inverted position. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, wings, landing gear, and propeller.
During subsequent aircraft investigations, 1.5 gallons of unusable fuel was recovered from the left tank and 10 gallons were recovered from the right tank. The PIC had his fuel selector selected to "left" position during his entire flight from the eagles nest airport, NJ (31E) to the emergency landing in Port Norris, NJ. In addition, during the airframe and engine inspections, no abnormaliteis were noted with the aircraft engine and fuel feed systems.
As the FAA filed it
ON 8/11/23, PIC OF A CE-172P MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON AN OPEN FIELD IN PORT NORRIS, NJ, WHILE ENROUTE FROM EAGLES NEST AIRPORT, NJ (31N) TO CAPE MAY AIRPORT, NJ (WWD). WHILE OVER THE DELAWARE BAY, THE PIC REPORTED INTERMITTENT ENGINE POWER LOSS WHILE CRUISING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 3000 FT. THE PIC DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, AND UPON NAVIGATION TO THE CLOSEST AIRPORT, MILLVILLE AIRPORT, NJ (MIV), THE PIC DECIDED HIS BEST OPTION FOR A SAFE LANDING WAS TO LAND IN A NEARBY FARM FIELD. THE PIC INITATED A LEFT PATTERN 180 POWER OFF APPROACH INTO THE OPEN FIELD AND TOUCHED DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD, APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS FROM A SLIGHTLY ELEVATED STREET. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED UNTIL IT CONTACTED THE STREET, THE LEFT WINGTIP CONTACTED A UTILITY POLE AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED INTO A FIELD, THE NOSE GEAR DUG INTO THE GROUND, SEPARATED, AND SUBSEQUENTLY FLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT OVER INTO AN INVERTED POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, EMPENNAGE, WINGS, LANDING GEAR, AND PROPELLER.
DURING SUBSEQUENT AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATIONS, 1.5 GALLONS OF UNUSABLE FUEL WAS RECOVERED FROM THE LEFT TANK AND 10 GALLONS WERE RECOVERED FROM THE RIGHT TANK. THE PIC HAD HIS FUEL SELECTOR SELECTED TO "LEFT" POSITION DURING HIS ENTIRE FLIGHT FROM THE EAGLES NEST AIRPORT, NJ (31E) TO THE EMERGENCY LANDING IN PORT NORRIS, NJ. IN ADDITION, DURING THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE INSPECTIONS, NO ABNORMALITEIS WERE NOTED WITH THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE AND FUEL FEED SYSTEMS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.