Narrative:

I was flying an small aircraft just purchased a few weeks before. I was doing takeoffs and lndgs. I had just prior had completed 2 takeoffs and lndgs to full stop. I was on final approach at 300-400 ft and was, I thought, a little bit high, so I retarded throttle. It did not feel right, so I advanced throttle and nothing happened. I advanced throttle some more and it was the same. Nothing happened. I was sinking rapidly, plane was in landing confign, gear down, 2 notches of flap, airspeed was 80 KTS. All I could do was put it on the ground as best I could. This was to be last landing. I was flying the plane, that was 8 days out of annual. I just wanted to exercise the plane and then the mechanic next day got a ferry permit and flew the plane to mechanic for the annual. I now realize, and am sorry, that I violated far. I did not intend to leave the chino airport pattern. I am at a loss as to why the engine lost power as I didn't do anything that should have caused this. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter is an aircraft dealer. He had just bought the aircraft, out of license, and was trying it out in the traffic pattern prior to getting a ferry permit to fly it to get an annual. The engine lost power, and would not respond, on very short final approach. He landed off field with $40000 damage, including a bent propeller hub. There was 3/4 tank on each side. The FAA, NTSB and engine manufacturer have not replied as to the cause of the power loss. The reporter does not know if the throttle linkage was properly hooked up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA ACFT DEALER PLT HAD AN ENG FAILURE AND LANDED OFF FIELD IN AN ACFT THAT WAS OUT OF LICENSE.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN SMA JUST PURCHASED A FEW WKS BEFORE. I WAS DOING TKOFS AND LNDGS. I HAD JUST PRIOR HAD COMPLETED 2 TKOFS AND LNDGS TO FULL STOP. I WAS ON FINAL APCH AT 300-400 FT AND WAS, I THOUGHT, A LITTLE BIT HIGH, SO I RETARDED THROTTLE. IT DID NOT FEEL RIGHT, SO I ADVANCED THROTTLE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I ADVANCED THROTTLE SOME MORE AND IT WAS THE SAME. NOTHING HAPPENED. I WAS SINKING RAPIDLY, PLANE WAS IN LNDG CONFIGN, GEAR DOWN, 2 NOTCHES OF FLAP, AIRSPD WAS 80 KTS. ALL I COULD DO WAS PUT IT ON THE GND AS BEST I COULD. THIS WAS TO BE LAST LNDG. I WAS FLYING THE PLANE, THAT WAS 8 DAYS OUT OF ANNUAL. I JUST WANTED TO EXERCISE THE PLANE AND THEN THE MECH NEXT DAY GOT A FERRY PERMIT AND FLEW THE PLANE TO MECH FOR THE ANNUAL. I NOW REALIZE, AND AM SORRY, THAT I VIOLATED FAR. I DID NOT INTEND TO LEAVE THE CHINO ARPT PATTERN. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHY THE ENG LOST PWR AS I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING THAT SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR IS AN ACFT DEALER. HE HAD JUST BOUGHT THE ACFT, OUT OF LICENSE, AND WAS TRYING IT OUT IN THE TFC PATTERN PRIOR TO GETTING A FERRY PERMIT TO FLY IT TO GET AN ANNUAL. THE ENG LOST PWR, AND WOULD NOT RESPOND, ON VERY SHORT FINAL APCH. HE LANDED OFF FIELD WITH $40000 DAMAGE, INCLUDING A BENT PROP HUB. THERE WAS 3/4 TANK ON EACH SIDE. THE FAA, NTSB AND ENG MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT REPLIED AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE PWR LOSS. THE RPTR DOES NOT KNOW IF THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS PROPERLY HOOKED UP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.