What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During a 45-degree steep turn to the left to remain clear of clouds. Due to temp/ dew spread and visible moisture (I.e. light rain), carburetor heat was on during this time. In the 45-degree steep turn, the aircraft experience a sudden loss of power. Initial symptoms were engine/propeller stuttering inconsistently and RPM drop alternating between partial to full power loss. Established 65 KTS and diverted the aircraft to a gravel road ~1.5NM away. A system fix check was performed----fuel (both, mixture, pump), prop control, carb, mags, prime, master. The engine did not respond. At ~800FT above the ground the engine backfired with a sudden pop and full engine loss. Secured the engine and prepared for landing. The aircraft touchdown at 55-60KTS onto the gravel road and was slowing with the slight incline. Amidst the landing roll, the left main tire caught a large rock and dragged it 6 feet and pivoting the aircraft off the road to the left. The front main caught a moss/bush which resulted in the aircraft inverting 180-degrees over the nose. Due to the height of the nose wheel the prop remained undamaged. Noticeable damage to the in inversion: right wing, top/bottom cowling, landing gear.
Onsite inspection of the aircraft and engine. Inspected all flight controls, engine controls, fuel system, ignition system, oil system and air induction. No anomolies found.
As the FAA filed it
DURING A 45-DEGREE STEEP TURN TO THE LEFT TO REMAIN CLEAR OF CLOUDS. DUE TO TEMP/ DEW SPREAD AND VISIBLE MOISTURE (I.E. LIGHT RAIN), CARBURETOR HEAT WAS ON DURING THIS TIME. IN THE 45-DEGREE STEEP TURN, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. INITIAL SYMPTOMS WERE ENGINE/PROPELLER STUTTERING INCONSISTENTLY AND RPM DROP ALTERNATING BETWEEN PARTIAL TO FULL POWER LOSS. ESTABLISHED 65 KTS AND DIVERTED THE AIRCRAFT TO A GRAVEL ROAD ~1.5NM AWAY. A SYSTEM FIX CHECK WAS PERFORMED----FUEL (BOTH, MIXTURE, PUMP), PROP CONTROL, CARB, MAGS, PRIME, MASTER. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. AT ~800FT ABOVE THE GROUND THE ENGINE BACKFIRED WITH A SUDDEN POP AND FULL ENGINE LOSS. SECURED THE ENGINE AND PREPARED FOR LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHDOWN AT 55-60KTS ONTO THE GRAVEL ROAD AND WAS SLOWING WITH THE SLIGHT INCLINE. AMIDST THE LANDING ROLL, THE LEFT MAIN TIRE CAUGHT A LARGE ROCK AND DRAGGED IT 6 FEET AND PIVOTING THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE ROAD TO THE LEFT. THE FRONT MAIN CAUGHT A MOSS/BUSH WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT INVERTING 180-DEGREES OVER THE NOSE. DUE TO THE HEIGHT OF THE NOSE WHEEL THE PROP REMAINED UNDAMAGED. NOTICEABLE DAMAGE TO THE IN INVERSION: RIGHT WING, TOP/BOTTOM COWLING, LANDING GEAR.
ONSITE INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE. INSPECTED ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS, ENGINE CONTROLS, FUEL SYSTEM, IGNITION SYSTEM, OIL SYSTEM AND AIR INDUCTION. NO ANOMOLIES FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.