What happened
The pilot was operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) and was in the process of descending through instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) when the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of engine power. With no immediate options for returning to the departure airport or diverting to an alternate field, the pilot initiated a forced landing procedure.
During the attempt to land on a road, the aircraft impacted obstacles. The impact resulted in significant damage to the airframe. The pilot survived the incident, though specific injury details were not provided in the source record.
The investigation
Following the accident, investigators examined the engine and associated systems to determine the cause of the power loss. A critical finding was that there was no evidence of any mechanical malfunction or failure that would have caused the sudden loss of power during flight.
To further verify the integrity of the propulsion system, the engine was tested after the accident. The investigation found that the engine ran normally after the incident, indicating that the power loss was not due to a persistent mechanical defect within the engine itself.
Findings
The primary factor in this event was the unexplained loss of engine power during descent. Contributing factors included the weather conditions (IMC) which limited visibility and options for recovery, and the terrain/obstacles present near the intended landing site on the road.
The investigation concluded that since the engine operated normally post-accident, the cause was likely transient or related to fuel supply/intake rather than internal mechanical failure. However, without further data, the specific trigger remains unconfirmed beyond the observation of normal engine operation after the event.