Incident Overview
An aircraft encountered a power loss while cruising at 10,000 feet. At 0903 Eastern Daylight Time, the pilot informed Wilmington Approach Control of a rough engine and requested vectors to the airport. Approach control provided heading instructions for the back course approach and cleared the aircraft to descend to 1,600 feet.
Communication and Approach
After initially reporting the engine trouble, the pilot made no further mention of engine status. At 0906, the pilot transmitted that he was looking for the approach plate and requested the localizer frequency. About three minutes later, after being given the frequency, the controller informed the pilot that he was going through the localizer and issued a heading change.
Gear Extension and Distance Information
The pilot stated that he extended the landing gear at 4,800 feet because he did not know his distance from the airport. During the approach, the controller twice advised the pilot of his distance from the final approach fix.
Outcome
The aircraft struck trees approximately 2 miles from the airport.