What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft lost power and landed short of the rwyin a field, Chino, CA. (.4)the pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions were experienced during the 30-minute-long nighttime flight in his 1943 model 'stagger wing' airplane. During the flight he had switched fuel tanks several times. Upon turning onto the final approach leg at the destination airport the center fuel tanks low fuel pressure warning light activated. Thereafter, the fuel pressure decreased and all engine power was lost. The pilot further reported that he switched tanks and used the wobble pump but to no avail as the airplane developed a high sink rate. The pilot made a forced landing into a plowed field and collided with dirt berms about 1/2 mile short of the runway. During the airframe examination no fuel was found in the two upper wing tanks, the center fuselage tank, or in the lower wing's right tank. Approximately 10 gallons of fuel was observed in the lower wing's left tank. Airplane operating procedures required the pilot to have the fuel selector positioned toward the center fuel tank during takeoffs and landings. The lower wing tanks are only to be used during level flight.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT LOST POWER AND LANDED SHORT OF THE RWYIN A FIELD, CHINO, CA. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE EXPERIENCED DURING THE 30-MINUTE-LONG NIGHTTIME FLIGHT IN HIS 1943 MODEL 'STAGGER WING' AIRPLANE. DURING THE FLIGHT HE HAD SWITCHED FUEL TANKS SEVERAL TIMES. UPON TURNING ONTO THE FINAL APPROACH LEG AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT THE CENTER FUEL TANKS LOW FUEL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ACTIVATED. THEREAFTER, THE FUEL PRESSURE DECREASED AND ALL ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT HE SWITCHED TANKS AND USED THE WOBBLE PUMP BUT TO NO AVAIL AS THE AIRPLANE DEVELOPED A HIGH SINK RATE. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING INTO A PLOWED FIELD AND COLLIDED WITH DIRT BERMS ABOUT 1/2 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. DURING THE AIRFRAME EXAMINATION NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TWO UPPER WING TANKS, THE CENTER FUSELAGE TANK, OR IN THE LOWER WING'S RIGHT TANK. APPROXIMATELY 10 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS OBSERVED IN THE LOWER WING'S LEFT TANK. AIRPLANE OPERATING PROCEDURES REQUIRED THE PILOT TO HAVE THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITIONED TOWARD THE CENTER FUEL TANK DURING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. THE LOWER WING TANKS ARE ONLY TO BE USED DURING LEVEL FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.