What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Student pilot on a solo cross country flight. Student was on the last leg of the flight at 1500 feet to avoid class b airspace when the engine lost power about 35 minutes into the flight.
As the power dropped, the airman pulled back on the yoke to get to glide speed, and at the same time pushed the throttle all the way in and there was no response. He then made the first radio call, saying “potomac,” trying to figure out what was happening. He then took the throttle to full idle, and then back to full power; still there was no response. After this, he ensured the mixture was full rich, fuel was on both, and he pulled the carb heat with no effect and pushed it back in; still no response. He also checked that the primer was locked.
The airman chose a road to land on. After touchdown on the road the airplane went to the right into the trees on the side of the road. The airplane came to rest with the nose down and the tail up. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fusalage, wings, propeller, and engine mount left hand side.
Weather: knak 5NM NE anp 222054Z auto 15008KT 10SM clr 02/M07 A3028 rmk AO2 SLP257 T00171067 5602
As the FAA filed it
STUDENT PILOT ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. STUDENT WAS ON THE LAST LEG OF THE FLIGHT AT 1500 FEET TO AVOID CLASS B AIRSPACE WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER ABOUT 35 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT.
AS THE POWER DROPPED, THE AIRMAN PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE TO GET TO GLIDE SPEED, AND AT THE SAME TIME PUSHED THE THROTTLE ALL THE WAY IN AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. HE THEN MADE THE FIRST RADIO CALL, SAYING “POTOMAC,” TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. HE THEN TOOK THE THROTTLE TO FULL IDLE, AND THEN BACK TO FULL POWER; STILL THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. AFTER THIS, HE ENSURED THE MIXTURE WAS FULL RICH, FUEL WAS ON BOTH, AND HE PULLED THE CARB HEAT WITH NO EFFECT AND PUSHED IT BACK IN; STILL NO RESPONSE. HE ALSO CHECKED THAT THE PRIMER WAS LOCKED.
THE AIRMAN CHOSE A ROAD TO LAND ON. AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON THE ROAD THE AIRPLANE WENT TO THE RIGHT INTO THE TREES ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST WITH THE NOSE DOWN AND THE TAIL UP. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSALAGE, WINGS, PROPELLER, AND ENGINE MOUNT LEFT HAND SIDE.
WEATHER: KNAK 5NM NE ANP 222054Z AUTO 15008KT 10SM CLR 02/M07 A3028 RMK AO2 SLP257 T00171067 5602
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 N781FM · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.