What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Preflight and departure: prior to departure, the pilot obtained an official weather briefing via 1800WXBRIEF. The preflight inspection was completed with 6 quarts of engine oil and 29 gallons of fuel verified, and fuel sumps were drained clear of water. During taxi to runway 17 at Kimble County Airport (kjct) and subsequent engine run-up, magneto drops (100 RPM right / 60 RPM left) and engine instrument indications (oil pressure, oil temperature, fuel pressure) were verified within normal operating limits.
In-flight event / partial power loss: aircraft privacy data omitted departed runway 17 at kjct at approximately 2312 central time under calm wind conditions, climbing toward a planned cruise altitude of 5,500 feet MSL. At approximately 600 feet AGL, the engine experienced a sudden, unexpected drop in partial power from 2,560 RPM down to 1,100 RPM.
Emergency actions and forced landing: the pilot advanced the mixture to full rich and throttle to full power with the auxiliary fuel pump on; no increase in engine power resulted. The pilot attempted to reprime and engage the starter; the engine continued running at approximately 1,100 RPM, which was insufficient to maintain altitude or level flight. The pilot configured the aircraft for best glide, executed emergency procedures, and selected an off-field forced landing site using electronic flight bag software (foreflight).
Impact and post-event sequence: at approximately 100 feet AGL, the pilot moved the mixture control to lean and reduced throttle to idle. Before the engine shutdown checklist could be completed, the aircraft's landing gear contacted tree tops during the forced landing descent. The aircraft collided with the tree canopy and terrain. The pilot was rendered unconscious during the impact, subsequently regained consciousness, and initiated a 911 emergency call.
As the FAA filed it
PREFLIGHT AND DEPARTURE: PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT OBTAINED AN OFFICIAL WEATHER BRIEFING VIA 1800WXBRIEF. THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED WITH 6 QUARTS OF ENGINE OIL AND 29 GALLONS OF FUEL VERIFIED, AND FUEL SUMPS WERE DRAINED CLEAR OF WATER. DURING TAXI TO RUNWAY 17 AT KIMBLE COUNTY AIRPORT (KJCT) AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE RUN-UP, MAGNETO DROPS (100 RPM RIGHT / 60 RPM LEFT) AND ENGINE INSTRUMENT INDICATIONS (OIL PRESSURE, OIL TEMPERATURE, FUEL PRESSURE) WERE VERIFIED WITHIN NORMAL OPERATING LIMITS.
IN-FLIGHT EVENT / PARTIAL POWER LOSS: AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED RUNWAY 17 AT KJCT AT APPROXIMATELY 2312 CENTRAL TIME UNDER CALM WIND CONDITIONS, CLIMBING TOWARD A PLANNED CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 5,500 FEET MSL. AT APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED DROP IN PARTIAL POWER FROM 2,560 RPM DOWN TO 1,100 RPM.
EMERGENCY ACTIONS AND FORCED LANDING: THE PILOT ADVANCED THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH AND THROTTLE TO FULL POWER WITH THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP ON; NO INCREASE IN ENGINE POWER RESULTED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REPRIME AND ENGAGE THE STARTER; THE ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING AT APPROXIMATELY 1,100 RPM, WHICH WAS INSUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE OR LEVEL FLIGHT. THE PILOT CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR BEST GLIDE, EXECUTED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, AND SELECTED AN OFF-FIELD FORCED LANDING SITE USING ELECTRONIC FLIGHT BAG SOFTWARE (FOREFLIGHT).
IMPACT AND POST-EVENT SEQUENCE: AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL, THE PILOT MOVED THE MIXTURE CONTROL TO LEAN AND REDUCED THROTTLE TO IDLE. BEFORE THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN CHECKLIST COULD BE COMPLETED, THE AIRCRAFT'S LANDING GEAR CONTACTED TREE TOPS DURING THE FORCED LANDING DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TREE CANOPY AND TERRAIN. THE PILOT WAS RENDERED UNCONSCIOUS DURING THE IMPACT, SUBSEQUENTLY REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS, AND INITIATED A 911 EMERGENCY CALL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.