What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft ran out of fuel on short final, switched tanks but not soon enough, crashed near airport. (.4)the pilot reported that he flew the flight using the left fuel tank. When the fuel level in the left tank got low, he attempted to feed the engine off the right tank at which time the engine lost power. The pilot was on final approach to land at the time. The airplane contacted a powerline during the forced landing approach to a soybean field. The airplane came to rest in the field. Each fuel tank has an on-off selector. According to the pilot there is a return fuel line from the fuel pump to the right tank. Each tank holds seven gallons of fuel. Inspection revealed the left tank was empty and the right tank was full after the accident. The pilot suspected there was air in the line from the right tank which prevented fuel flow.(-23) pilot neglected to switch tanks prior to beginning descent. Left tank went dry at approx. 700'AGL. Pilot switched tanks, but there was not enough time/altitude for engine to restart. Landed approx. 1 1/2 miles short of runway in a soybean field after hitting abandoned power line at 20' AGL.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL ON SHORT FINAL, SWITCHED TANKS BUT NOT SOON ENOUGH, CRASHED NEAR AIRPORT. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE FLEW THE FLIGHT USING THE LEFT FUEL TANK. WHEN THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE LEFT TANK GOT LOW, HE ATTEMPTED TO FEED THE ENGINE OFF THE RIGHT TANK AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND AT THE TIME. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED A POWERLINE DURING THE FORCED LANDING APPROACH TO A SOYBEAN FIELD. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN THE FIELD. EACH FUEL TANK HAS AN ON-OFF SELECTOR. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THERE IS A RETURN FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL PUMP TO THE RIGHT TANK. EACH TANK HOLDS SEVEN GALLONS OF FUEL. INSPECTION REVEALED THE LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE RIGHT TANK WAS FULL AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT SUSPECTED THERE WAS AIR IN THE LINE FROM THE RIGHT TANK WHICH PREVENTED FUEL FLOW.(-23) PILOT NEGLECTED TO SWITCH TANKS PRIOR TO BEGINNING DESCENT. LEFT TANK WENT DRY AT APPROX. 700'AGL. PILOT SWITCHED TANKS, BUT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME/ALTITUDE FOR ENGINE TO RESTART. LANDED APPROX. 1 1/2 MILES SHORT OF RUNWAY IN A SOYBEAN FIELD AFTER HITTING ABANDONED POWER LINE AT 20' AGL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.