What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
CFI and student departed airport (Hanover county, VA kofp) traffic pattern and flew to local practice area, performed several private pilot maneuvers at 3000 feet MSL without incident. During return to airport at cruise power setting, engine ran rough for a few seconds and cleared. PIC reduced power for initial decent and engine started to run rough once again. PIC attempted to add power, but the engine did not respond and remained at an idle power setting. PIC pitched the aircraft for best glide and attempted to execute an on-field landing by flying a downwind, base, and final legs of the approach, but lost critical alttude and subsequently landed short of the runway threshold in a field outside of airport property. Right wing incurred substantial damage after striking a tree.
As the FAA filed it
CFI AND STUDENT DEPARTED AIRPORT (HANOVER COUNTY, VA KOFP) TRAFFIC PATTERN AND FLEW TO LOCAL PRACTICE AREA, PERFORMED SEVERAL PRIVATE PILOT MANEUVERS AT 3000 FEET MSL WITHOUT INCIDENT. DURING RETURN TO AIRPORT AT CRUISE POWER SETTING, ENGINE RAN ROUGH FOR A FEW SECONDS AND CLEARED. PIC REDUCED POWER FOR INITIAL DECENT AND ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH ONCE AGAIN. PIC ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND AND REMAINED AT AN IDLE POWER SETTING. PIC PITCHED THE AIRCRAFT FOR BEST GLIDE AND ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE AN ON-FIELD LANDING BY FLYING A DOWNWIND, BASE, AND FINAL LEGS OF THE APPROACH, BUT LOST CRITICAL ALTTUDE AND SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD IN A FIELD OUTSIDE OF AIRPORT PROPERTY. RIGHT WING INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER STRIKING A TREE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.