Incident Details
A private certificated pilot was conducting cruise flight approximately 1,000 feet above ground level when the engine began to lose revolutions per minute (rpm). The pilot stated that the engine gauges appeared normal, yet the rpm continued to decrease. The pilot performed all emergency procedures, including application of carburetor heat, but the airplane could not maintain level flight.
Unable to sustain altitude, the pilot turned toward a remote airstrip and prepared for an emergency landing. During the landing approach, the airplane collided with alders, then bounced off the ground before coming to rest near the end of runway 13 at the airstrip. The airplane ended up facing the opposite direction of its original flight path.
Aircraft Damage
The airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage, empennage, and wings as a result of the collision with trees and terrain.
Investigation
The pilot was unable to determine what precipitated the loss of engine power. The engine was not examined by NTSB or FAA personnel, leaving the cause of the power loss undetermined.