What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost power enroute. Flipped over landing fuel selector on empty tank. Fuel in other. (.4)the pilot reported that shortly after takeoff he moved the fuel selector from 'both' to 'right' and did not subsequently reposition it from 'right', resulting in fuel starvation as the aircraft cruised at 16,000 feet about 3 hours after takeoff. The pilot declared an emergency with air traffic control (ATC) and was directed to a nearby airport where he attempted a forced landing; however, he was not successful in reaching the airport runway. In the ensuing forced landing, the airplane struck a ditch and flipped over, coming to rest in a field near the runway. Post-accident examination found 35 gallons of fuel in the left tank, no fuel in the right tank, and the fuel selector positioned to 'right.' Pilot's operating handbook (POH) data indicate the airplane takes approximately 15 minutes to descend from 16,000 feet to the emergency airport elevation (535 feet above mean sea level) in a descent at best glide speed (approximately 85 knots indicated airspeed) with propeller windmilling and flaps and gear up. The POH 'engine failur e in flight' procedure directs the pilot to check fuel quantity and place the fuel selector on the fulledt tank.
As the FAA filed it
LOST POWER ENROUTE. FLIPPED OVER LANDING FUEL SELECTOR ON EMPTY TANK. FUEL IN OTHER. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF HE MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM 'BOTH' TO 'RIGHT' AND DID NOT SUBSEQUENTLY REPOSITION IT FROM 'RIGHT', RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION AS THE AIRCRAFT CRUISED AT 16,000 FEET ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) AND WAS DIRECTED TO A NEARBY AIRPORT WHERE HE ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING; HOWEVER, HE WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING THE AIRPORT RUNWAY. IN THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A DITCH AND FLIPPED OVER, COMING TO REST IN A FIELD NEAR THE RUNWAY. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION FOUND 35 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK, NO FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITIONED TO 'RIGHT.' PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK (POH) DATA INDICATE THE AIRPLANE TAKES APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES TO DESCEND FROM 16,000 FEET TO THE EMERGENCY AIRPORT ELEVATION (535 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL) IN A DESCENT AT BEST GLIDE SPEED (APPROXIMATELY 85 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED) WITH PROPELLER WINDMILLING AND FLAPS AND GEAR UP. THE POH 'ENGINE FAILUR E IN FLIGHT' PROCEDURE DIRECTS THE PILOT TO CHECK FUEL QUANTITY AND PLACE THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE FULLEDT TANK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.