What happened
On 3 September 2011, a Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3, registration G-ONAF, was conducting a private positioning flight near Hayling Island. While cruising at an altitude of approximately 1,200 ft, the pilot maintained a flight path designed to stay clear of cloud cover. During the flight, the engine experienced a sudden loss of power.
In an attempt to restore engine performance, the pilot applied full carburettor heat. However, this action occurred too late to prevent the engine from failing. Consequently, the pilot was forced to perform an emergency landing in a field at Tournerbury Farm. The impact of the landing caused damage to the tailwheel, the rudder, and the lower rear section of the fuselage. There were no injuries to the pilot or the single passenger on board.
The investigation
Following the incident, the aircraft was inspected on the ground. A ground run of the Wright Aeronautical Corporation R-760 piston engine was conducted as part of the post-landing assessment. The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the power loss and the effectiveness of the pilot's corrective actions.