What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was conducting a post-engine overhaul test flight. He flew two laps around the airport and was on his final lap when the aircraft violently vibrated and lost engine power. Deciding he may not reach the runway, he opted to land in the adjacent field. On touchdown, the aircraft rolled approximately 150 on the snow, when the nose wheel sank into the packed snow and broke off from the strut. The nose dipped and the right wingtip contacted the ground and detached as the aircraft pirouetted and came to rest inverted.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A POST-ENGINE OVERHAUL TEST FLIGHT. HE FLEW TWO LAPS AROUND THE AIRPORT AND WAS ON HIS FINAL LAP WHEN THE AIRCRAFT VIOLENTLY VIBRATED AND LOST ENGINE POWER. DECIDING HE MAY NOT REACH THE RUNWAY, HE OPTED TO LAND IN THE ADJACENT FIELD. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 150 ON THE SNOW, WHEN THE NOSE WHEEL SANK INTO THE PACKED SNOW AND BROKE OFF FROM THE STRUT. THE NOSE DIPPED AND THE RIGHT WINGTIP CONTACTED THE GROUND AND DETACHED AS THE AIRCRAFT PIROUETTED AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.