What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The pilot stated that the airplane was inside a locked hangar when he performed his preflight check. He said the only light available was the one coming through the hangar skylight. During the visual check of the fuel levels it appeared from light reflections that the fuel level was all the way to the tank openings. According to the FAA inspector who examined the airplane on-scene, the left wing was found severed from the fuselage and lying inverted. The fuel tank was split open with only a slight hint of fuel and no evidence of a fuel spill on the ground. The right wing fuel cap was opened and no fuel could be seen in the tank. The right wing tank sump drain was opened and nothing came out. There was only a hint of fuel at the fuel strainer drain. The fuel selector was found in the right fuel tank detent. (-23) while flying over Rio Linda at approximately 1200 feet AGL, the engine started to sputter. The pilot turned the fuel pump on, and switched tanks to aux. The engine ran good for a few but then quit completely. The pilot had to land in a open field. During the roll out, the aircraft struck a burm, tore off the main landing gear, and came to rest on the other side of the burm. There was no evidence of fuel spill on the ground, no fuel could be seen in the right tank, and only a slight hint of fuel in the left tank. The pilot stated that, before departure, he visually checked the fuel, and he observed fuel in the tanks. Also he indicated that the fuel guages showed full fuel quantity.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS INSIDE A LOCKED HANGAR WHEN HE PERFORMED HIS PREFLIGHT CHECK. HE SAID THE ONLY LIGHT AVAILABLE WAS THE ONE COMING THROUGH THE HANGAR SKYLIGHT. DURING THE VISUAL CHECK OF THE FUEL LEVELS IT APPEARED FROM LIGHT REFLECTIONS THAT THE FUEL LEVEL WAS ALL THE WAY TO THE TANK OPENINGS. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE ON-SCENE, THE LEFT WING WAS FOUND SEVERED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND LYING INVERTED. THE FUEL TANK WAS SPLIT OPEN WITH ONLY A SLIGHT HINT OF FUEL AND NO EVIDENCE OF A FUEL SPILL ON THE GROUND. THE RIGHT WING FUEL CAP WAS OPENED AND NO FUEL COULD BE SEEN IN THE TANK. THE RIGHT WING TANK SUMP DRAIN WAS OPENED AND NOTHING CAME OUT. THERE WAS ONLY A HINT OF FUEL AT THE FUEL STRAINER DRAIN. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK DETENT. (-23) WHILE FLYING OVER RIO LINDA AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER. THE PILOT TURNED THE FUEL PUMP ON, AND SWITCHED TANKS TO AUX. THE ENGINE RAN GOOD FOR A FEW BUT THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. THE PILOT HAD TO LAND IN A OPEN FIELD. DURING THE ROLL OUT, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BURM, TORE OFF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, AND CAME TO REST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BURM. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILL ON THE GROUND, NO FUEL COULD BE SEEN IN THE RIGHT TANK, AND ONLY A SLIGHT HINT OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK. THE PILOT STATED THAT, BEFORE DEPARTURE, HE VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL, AND HE OBSERVED FUEL IN THE TANKS. ALSO HE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL GUAGES SHOWED FULL FUEL QUANTITY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.