What happened
During a CFR Part 91 instructional flight, a flight instructor and a student were performing touch-and-go landings. While the aircraft was on the upwind portion of the landing pattern at approximately 200 feet above ground level, the engine lost power.
The instructor assumed control of the aircraft and declared an emergency. He initiated a right turn toward a nearby road and subsequently identified a clearing. As the pilot attempted to land in the clearing, the left wing struck a tree during the landing flare. During the subsequent landing roll, the nose gear strut collapsed, causing the aircraft to collide with a wooden greenhouse. There were no injuries reported.
The investigation
An FAA inspector examined both the aircraft and the engine. During the inspection, debris consisting of small flakes of a white material was discovered in the main metering jet. This debris was noted to be larger than the fuel inlet screen.
The carburetor was removed and transported to a maintenance facility for further examination, where no additional foreign object or debris was identified. However, inspectors did find a small leak at the accelerator valve. Records from the operator indicated that a previously overhauled carburetor had been installed on the engine on March 13, 2006, approximately 9.6 hours prior to the accident.