What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot states after leaving kevu reaching cruising altitude the engine started to shake and heard prop RPM increase dramatically. Pilot scanned instruments and noticed prop rmp was well above redline. Pilot retarded throttle and RPM remained uncontrollable. Pilot then observed white smoke emenating from the engine compartment. No oil on windscreen so visibility was not obstruceted. Unable to control propeller RPM via prop controll lever, throttle was retarded to idle, at which point the propeller RPM decelerated to the green operating range. Recognizing a significant power loss, pilot rotated the garmin G430 large right knob fully clockwise to locate the nearest ARTCC frequency and contacted minneapolis center (zmp), advising them of “severe engine trouble.” ATC issued a discrete transponder code. While pilot focused on aircraft control, ATC asked if pilot required assistance from an “instructor.” piolot slowed the aircraft to best glide speed and determined that could not reach any suitable airport, and per the POH, the backup gear extender was placed in the override up position. Pilot selected an off-airport landing site that was clear of people, structures, and obstructions. Pilot visually confirmed the absence of power lines and did not attempt an engine restart. Pilot then extended the landing gear and selected flaps as appropriate. Touchdown and rollout were uneventful until the aircraft decelerated and the nosewheel sank into soft soil. Pilot secured the aircraft, shut off the magnetos and master switch, turned the fuel selector to the off position, and exited the aircraft without injury. A post-landing assessment revealed no apparent airframe damage, fuel leakage, or immediate hazards. Pilot did observe oil on the underside of the fuselage, but no other significant issues were noted.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATES AFTER LEAVING KEVU REACHING CRUISING ALTITUDE THE ENGINE STARTED TO SHAKE AND HEARD PROP RPM INCREASE DRAMATICALLY. PILOT SCANNED INSTRUMENTS AND NOTICED PROP RMP WAS WELL ABOVE REDLINE. PILOT RETARDED THROTTLE AND RPM REMAINED UNCONTROLLABLE. PILOT THEN OBSERVED WHITE SMOKE EMENATING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. NO OIL ON WINDSCREEN SO VISIBILITY WAS NOT OBSTRUCETED. UNABLE TO CONTROL PROPELLER RPM VIA PROP CONTROLL LEVER, THROTTLE WAS RETARDED TO IDLE, AT WHICH POINT THE PROPELLER RPM DECELERATED TO THE GREEN OPERATING RANGE. RECOGNIZING A SIGNIFICANT POWER LOSS, PILOT ROTATED THE GARMIN G430 LARGE RIGHT KNOB FULLY CLOCKWISE TO LOCATE THE NEAREST ARTCC FREQUENCY AND CONTACTED MINNEAPOLIS CENTER (ZMP), ADVISING THEM OF “SEVERE ENGINE TROUBLE.” ATC ISSUED A DISCRETE TRANSPONDER CODE. WHILE PILOT FOCUSED ON AIRCRAFT CONTROL, ATC ASKED IF PILOT REQUIRED ASSISTANCE FROM AN “INSTRUCTOR.” PIOLOT SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO BEST GLIDE SPEED AND DETERMINED THAT COULD NOT REACH ANY SUITABLE AIRPORT, AND PER THE POH, THE BACKUP GEAR EXTENDER WAS PLACED IN THE OVERRIDE UP POSITION. PILOT SELECTED AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING SITE THAT WAS CLEAR OF PEOPLE, STRUCTURES, AND OBSTRUCTIONS. PILOT VISUALLY CONFIRMED THE ABSENCE OF POWER LINES AND DID NOT ATTEMPT AN ENGINE RESTART. PILOT THEN EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR AND SELECTED FLAPS AS APPROPRIATE. TOUCHDOWN AND ROLLOUT WERE UNEVENTFUL UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT DECELERATED AND THE NOSEWHEEL SANK INTO SOFT SOIL. PILOT SECURED THE AIRCRAFT, SHUT OFF THE MAGNETOS AND MASTER SWITCH, TURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE OFF POSITION, AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. A POST-LANDING ASSESSMENT REVEALED NO APPARENT AIRFRAME DAMAGE, FUEL LEAKAGE, OR IMMEDIATE HAZARDS. PILOT DID OBSERVE OIL ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FUSELAGE, BUT NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WERE NOTED.
Other reports on N328MA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.