What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The instrument rated pilot planned to complete three takeoffs and full stop landings at klmo for VFR night currency. Aircraft had 19 gallons of fuel on board and 6 quarts of oil in the engine. Exterior walk around, engine start, and run-up checks were normal. Takeoff roll, rotation, and initial climb-out were uneventful. At approximately 200’ AGL, the rpms rapidly decreased from 2450 to 1000 and then fluctuated between 1000 and 2450 at full throttle. PIC cycled the throttle and checked magnetos in an unsuccessful attempt to correct the problem. The PIC radioed CTAF to report the engine failure and that he was landing in a nearby field. After safely stopping, the PIC shut down the airplane to avoid a potential engine fire. Another aircraft was circling overhead, and the PIC signaled his location using a headlamp and phone flashlight. PIC walked to a nearby farmhouse and reported the event. Subsequent FAA inspection of the aircraft found no damage sustained. Original O-320 was replaced by a Lycoming O-360 A4M under STC SE2563CE on 6/15/2016. The last 100 hour engine inspection was completed on 08/08/2025; spark plugs (4) were replaced and cylinder compression checks within specifications. A post-incident engine inspection was completed on 9/25/2025; compression, induction, exhaust, primer, carburator, throttle controls, run-up and flight test all satisfactory.
As the FAA filed it
THE INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT PLANNED TO COMPLETE THREE TAKEOFFS AND FULL STOP LANDINGS AT KLMO FOR VFR NIGHT CURRENCY. AIRCRAFT HAD 19 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND 6 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE ENGINE. EXTERIOR WALK AROUND, ENGINE START, AND RUN-UP CHECKS WERE NORMAL. TAKEOFF ROLL, ROTATION, AND INITIAL CLIMB-OUT WERE UNEVENTFUL. AT APPROXIMATELY 200’ AGL, THE RPMS RAPIDLY DECREASED FROM 2450 TO 1000 AND THEN FLUCTUATED BETWEEN 1000 AND 2450 AT FULL THROTTLE. PIC CYCLED THE THROTTLE AND CHECKED MAGNETOS IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE PIC RADIOED CTAF TO REPORT THE ENGINE FAILURE AND THAT HE WAS LANDING IN A NEARBY FIELD. AFTER SAFELY STOPPING, THE PIC SHUT DOWN THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID A POTENTIAL ENGINE FIRE. ANOTHER AIRCRAFT WAS CIRCLING OVERHEAD, AND THE PIC SIGNALED HIS LOCATION USING A HEADLAMP AND PHONE FLASHLIGHT. PIC WALKED TO A NEARBY FARMHOUSE AND REPORTED THE EVENT. SUBSEQUENT FAA INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND NO DAMAGE SUSTAINED. ORIGINAL O-320 WAS REPLACED BY A LYCOMING O-360 A4M UNDER STC SE2563CE ON 6/15/2016. THE LAST 100 HOUR ENGINE INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED ON 08/08/2025; SPARK PLUGS (4) WERE REPLACED AND CYLINDER COMPRESSION CHECKS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. A POST-INCIDENT ENGINE INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED ON 9/25/2025; COMPRESSION, INDUCTION, EXHAUST, PRIMER, CARBURATOR, THROTTLE CONTROLS, RUN-UP AND FLIGHT TEST ALL SATISFACTORY.