What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On the day of the incident, the pilot-in-command (PIC) arrived at Pleasant Valley Airport (P48) at approximately 0830. After briefing the passenger at 0900, the flight departed at 0930.
Approximately one hour into the flight, the engine began exhibiting abnormal behavior, including unusual clicking and banging noises, followed by noticeable surging. The engine subsequently experienced a significant loss of thrust.
The PIC reported that fuel pressure, oil pressure, and cylinder head temperatures (chts) remained within normal limits. Magnetos were cycled, and the emergency boost pump was activated, but neither action improved engine performance. Engine RPM continued to fluctuate, and the abnormal noise worsened. Unable to maintain altitude, the PIC elected to make a precautionary landing at a nearby turf runway.
Touchdown occurred approximately halfway down the runway, but due to the uneven terrain, the aircraft bounced during rollout. The aircraft was unable to come to a stop and overran the end of the runway. The PIC then pulled up, became airborne, crossed new river road, and entered a large open desert area.
Shortly after entering the area, the aircraft impacted an abandoned camper. The aircraft initially touched down on the main landing gear, but the nose gear collapsed upon contact, causing the nose to drop to the ground. The aircraft skidded approximately 50 yards before coming to a complete stop.
There were no injuries reported to either the PIC or the passenger.
As the FAA filed it
ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) ARRIVED AT PLEASANT VALLEY AIRPORT (P48) AT APPROXIMATELY 0830. AFTER BRIEFING THE PASSENGER AT 0900, THE FLIGHT DEPARTED AT 0930.
APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE BEGAN EXHIBITING ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING UNUSUAL CLICKING AND BANGING NOISES, FOLLOWED BY NOTICEABLE SURGING. THE ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF THRUST.
THE PIC REPORTED THAT FUEL PRESSURE, OIL PRESSURE, AND CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURES (CHTS) REMAINED WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS. MAGNETOS WERE CYCLED, AND THE EMERGENCY BOOST PUMP WAS ACTIVATED, BUT NEITHER ACTION IMPROVED ENGINE PERFORMANCE. ENGINE RPM CONTINUED TO FLUCTUATE, AND THE ABNORMAL NOISE WORSENED. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, THE PIC ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT A NEARBY TURF RUNWAY.
TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, BUT DUE TO THE UNEVEN TERRAIN, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED DURING ROLLOUT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO COME TO A STOP AND OVERRAN THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PIC THEN PULLED UP, BECAME AIRBORNE, CROSSED NEW RIVER ROAD, AND ENTERED A LARGE OPEN DESERT AREA.
SHORTLY AFTER ENTERING THE AREA, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED AN ABANDONED CAMPER. THE AIRCRAFT INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, BUT THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED UPON CONTACT, CAUSING THE NOSE TO DROP TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP.
THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED TO EITHER THE PIC OR THE PASSENGER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.