What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was practicing GPS approaches to the kknb Kanab, Utah airport.
Approximately 14 miles from kknb, pilot was climbing privacy data omitted towards 8,200 feet when the aircraft stopped climbing at 8,000 ft. pilot applied carb heat and the engine performance declined and pilot began noticing bad noises. After 30 seconds or so, the engine performance was still declining so the pilot released the carb heat to the off position. The engine was losing RPM and began to have more bad noises. Aircraft was placed at best glide speed and heading set toward dirt roads and the highway which was about 5 miles away. Aircraft was above a steep canyon area. In addition to the bad engine sounds, smoke began entering the cabin.
Pilot turned the engine off.
Pilot called the Kanab CTAF and informed all that he was having an off runway landing.
Prior to touching down full flaps were applied
Slight cross wind forced the airplane just right of the sunken dirt road where the airplane touched down. The airplane traveled less than 100 feet after it touched down in deep sand.
Aircraft moved to azc with permission from NTSB.
NTSB investigator later determined that the engine broke a connecting rod.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS PRACTICING GPS APPROACHES TO THE KKNB KANAB, UTAH AIRPORT.
APPROXIMATELY 14 MILES FROM KKNB, PILOT WAS CLIMBING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOWARDS 8,200 FEET WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED CLIMBING AT 8,000 FT. PILOT APPLIED CARB HEAT AND THE ENGINE PERFORMANCE DECLINED AND PILOT BEGAN NOTICING BAD NOISES. AFTER 30 SECONDS OR SO, THE ENGINE PERFORMANCE WAS STILL DECLINING SO THE PILOT RELEASED THE CARB HEAT TO THE OFF POSITION. THE ENGINE WAS LOSING RPM AND BEGAN TO HAVE MORE BAD NOISES. AIRCRAFT WAS PLACED AT BEST GLIDE SPEED AND HEADING SET TOWARD DIRT ROADS AND THE HIGHWAY WHICH WAS ABOUT 5 MILES AWAY. AIRCRAFT WAS ABOVE A STEEP CANYON AREA. IN ADDITION TO THE BAD ENGINE SOUNDS, SMOKE BEGAN ENTERING THE CABIN.
PILOT TURNED THE ENGINE OFF.
PILOT CALLED THE KANAB CTAF AND INFORMED ALL THAT HE WAS HAVING AN OFF RUNWAY LANDING.
PRIOR TO TOUCHING DOWN FULL FLAPS WERE APPLIED
SLIGHT CROSS WIND FORCED THE AIRPLANE JUST RIGHT OF THE SUNKEN DIRT ROAD WHERE THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN. THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED LESS THAN 100 FEET AFTER IT TOUCHED DOWN IN DEEP SAND.
AIRCRAFT MOVED TO AZC WITH PERMISSION FROM NTSB.
NTSB INVESTIGATOR LATER DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE BROKE A CONNECTING ROD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2886X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.