What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 12/14/2023 @ approximately 2021HRS PIC and student pilot during x-country nighttime training flight declared mayday due to engine failure and smoke in the cockpit. PIC determined they would not make kavl and instead attempted to make an emergency landing on eastbound interstate 26 approximately 3.5 miles north of kavl. Aircraft struck high tension power lines during landing descent and was thrown into the westbound lanes of the interstate and became engulfed in flames. No ground injuries reported. Both pilots transported to hospital with injuries. POB: 2, injuries: PIC=minor, student=serious, damage: aircraft destroyed
On 3 January 2024 the aircraft/engine was sent to privacy data omitted for teardown and inspection by the NTSB, FAA, and aircraft/engine manufacturers, where it was confirmed the engine had failed internally.
On 4 January 2024 the root cause of the engine failure could not be determined and the engine was transferred to the NTSB labs in Washington d.c. for further investigation.
Sas task id: T-EA68-FY24-0471
As the FAA filed it
ON 12/14/2023 @ APPROXIMATELY 2021HRS PIC AND STUDENT PILOT DURING X-COUNTRY NIGHTTIME TRAINING FLIGHT DECLARED MAYDAY DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE AND SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. PIC DETERMINED THEY WOULD NOT MAKE KAVL AND INSTEAD ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON EASTBOUND INTERSTATE 26 APPROXIMATELY 3.5 MILES NORTH OF KAVL. AIRCRAFT STRUCK HIGH TENSION POWER LINES DURING LANDING DESCENT AND WAS THROWN INTO THE WESTBOUND LANES OF THE INTERSTATE AND BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. NO GROUND INJURIES REPORTED. BOTH PILOTS TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL WITH INJURIES. POB: 2, INJURIES: PIC=MINOR, STUDENT=SERIOUS, DAMAGE: AIRCRAFT DESTROYED
ON 3 JANUARY 2024 THE AIRCRAFT/ENGINE WAS SENT TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FOR TEARDOWN AND INSPECTION BY THE NTSB, FAA, AND AIRCRAFT/ENGINE MANUFACTURERS, WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THE ENGINE HAD FAILED INTERNALLY.
ON 4 JANUARY 2024 THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AND THE ENGINE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE NTSB LABS IN WASHINGTON D.C. FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
SAS TASK ID: T-EA68-FY24-0471
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.