What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot had been practicing night landings at the Chickasha Municipal Airport. While in the traffic pattern (for runway 17), the engine lost power, and the pilot initiated a forced landing. During the landing roll, the airplance struck a fence and crossed a ditch, collapsing the nose landing gear. The airplane came to rest inverted approximately one half mile north of runway 17. The pilot reported that he selected the left fuel tank, and thinks the engine quit because there was no fuel left in the left tank. Examination of the fuel system revealed that there was no fuel in the left main tank and tip tank. The fuel selector was positioned to the left tank, and there was no evidence of fuel spillage from that tank. The right main fuel tanks contained fuel; it was leaking from its filler cap. The pilots operating handbook for the airplane stated in section iv, normal procedures, page 4-10, before landing, 'fuel selector valve- select main tank more nearly full'.(-23) the pilot was practicing night landings when the engine lost power. The pilot landed in a field 1/2 mile north of Chickasha airport. The aircraft struck a barbed wire fence, crossed a ditch collapsing the nose landing gear, and then nosed over onto its back. The pilot stated that the left fuel gauge indicated a quarter tank and he had selected the left tank. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left fuel tank was empty.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT HAD BEEN PRACTICING NIGHT LANDINGS AT THE CHICKASHA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN (FOR RUNWAY 17), THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANCE STRUCK A FENCE AND CROSSED A DITCH, COLLAPSING THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE NORTH OF RUNWAY 17. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE SELECTED THE LEFT FUEL TANK, AND THINKS THE ENGINE QUIT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO FUEL LEFT IN THE LEFT TANK. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE LEFT MAIN TANK AND TIP TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE LEFT TANK, AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE FROM THAT TANK. THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANKS CONTAINED FUEL; IT WAS LEAKING FROM ITS FILLER CAP. THE PILOTS OPERATING HANDBOOK FOR THE AIRPLANE STATED IN SECTION IV, NORMAL PROCEDURES, PAGE 4-10, BEFORE LANDING, 'FUEL SELECTOR VALVE- SELECT MAIN TANK MORE NEARLY FULL'.(-23) THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING NIGHT LANDINGS WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT LANDED IN A FIELD 1/2 MILE NORTH OF CHICKASHA AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BARBED WIRE FENCE, CROSSED A DITCH COLLAPSING THE NOSE LANDING GEAR, AND THEN NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE LEFT FUEL GAUGE INDICATED A QUARTER TANK AND HE HAD SELECTED THE LEFT TANK. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.