What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost power enroute. Nosed over landing on a slope. No evidence of fuel at scene. Failed to visually check fuel.. (.4) two pilots departed without visually verifying the quantity of fuel in the fuel tanks. During climbout, the pilots noted the right fuel quantity indicator`...was all the way on `e', the left read three-quarters.' The pilot selected the right tank position on the fuel selector and flew for 50 minutes. He said this satisfied his suspicion that the right fuel gauge was inaccurate. The pilot said he then flew from the left tank to balance the fuel load and ultimately switched the selector to `both.' While in cruise flight at 9,000 feet, after approximately 2 hours of flight time, the engine stopped producing power. During a subsequent forced landing on uneven terrain, the airplane nosed over. There was no evidence of fuel at the scene. After the accident, an FAA inspector started and ran the engine on the airframe. After reviewing his records and fuel receipts, the co-pilot/owner stated the airplane operated to its fuel endurance. (-23) aircraft was on IFR flight plan at 9000' when engine stopped- restart failed and vectors were requested, from hts approach, to nearest airport. Unable to extend glide to nearest airport resulting in off airport landing which substantially damaged aircraft - no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
LOST POWER ENROUTE. NOSED OVER LANDING ON A SLOPE. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL AT SCENE. FAILED TO VISUALLY CHECK FUEL.. (.4) TWO PILOTS DEPARTED WITHOUT VISUALLY VERIFYING THE QUANTITY OF FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS. DURING CLIMBOUT, THE PILOTS NOTED THE RIGHT FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR`...WAS ALL THE WAY ON `E', THE LEFT READ THREE-QUARTERS.' THE PILOT SELECTED THE RIGHT TANK POSITION ON THE FUEL SELECTOR AND FLEW FOR 50 MINUTES. HE SAID THIS SATISFIED HIS SUSPICION THAT THE RIGHT FUEL GAUGE WAS INACCURATE. THE PILOT SAID HE THEN FLEW FROM THE LEFT TANK TO BALANCE THE FUEL LOAD AND ULTIMATELY SWITCHED THE SELECTOR TO `BOTH.' WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 9,000 FEET, AFTER APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME, THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. DURING A SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ON UNEVEN TERRAIN, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL AT THE SCENE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AN FAA INSPECTOR STARTED AND RAN THE ENGINE ON THE AIRFRAME. AFTER REVIEWING HIS RECORDS AND FUEL RECEIPTS, THE CO-PILOT/OWNER STATED THE AIRPLANE OPERATED TO ITS FUEL ENDURANCE. (-23) AIRCRAFT WAS ON IFR FLIGHT PLAN AT 9000' WHEN ENGINE STOPPED- RESTART FAILED AND VECTORS WERE REQUESTED, FROM HTS APPROACH, TO NEAREST AIRPORT. UNABLE TO EXTEND GLIDE TO NEAREST AIRPORT RESULTING IN OFF AIRPORT LANDING WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AIRCRAFT - NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.