Summary
An aircraft operating a non-scheduled Part 135 flight experienced an engine power loss while en route. The pilot executed a forced landing on a dry lake bed, but the landing surface was too short. During the landing roll, the left landing gear collapsed as the pilot attempted to steer the aircraft away from a steep bank.
Pre-Flight Maintenance
Before the flight, spark plugs with a heat range colder than that specified by the engine manufacturer were installed. In addition, the left magneto was adjusted to fire 10 degrees before its specified timing. Following these modifications, the aircraft was released for flight.
Engine Power Loss
After departure, during the en route portion of the flight, the engine lost power. This caused the aircraft to begin descending. The pilot was forced to initiate an emergency landing procedure.
Forced Landing
The pilot selected a dry lake bed as the landing site. The forced landing was executed on the lake bed. However, the landing surface was too short to allow the aircraft to stop before reaching the boundaries of the area.
Landing Gear Collapse
During the landing roll on the dry lake bed, the pilot attempted to steer the aircraft away from a steep bank. As the pilot performed this steering maneuver, the left landing gear collapsed.