What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The airplane impacted terrain during a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power after takeoff. The pilot maneuvered the airplane back towards the runway, and during the descent, the airplane contacted a tree branch. The airplane came to rest upright, the pilot switched the fuel valve selector to the 'off' position, and exited the airplane. The pilot did not report the position of the fuel valve selector at the time the loss of engine power occurred. Examination of the airplane at the site revealed that the fuel selector switch was in 'off' position and the fuel quantity indicator switch was in the 'right main fuel tank' position. The right wing fuel tank and both auxiliary fuel tanks were full of fuel. The left wing fuel tank contained minimal fuel. Additionally, the fuel line leading to the engine driven fuel pump was removed and observed to be dry. Fuel was manually pumped through the fuel line, the system appeared to operate normally and no leaks were found. Out of a total flight time of 800 hours, the pilot had 13 hours in the accident make and model. (-23) see narrative #FTW98LA300
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE BACK TOWARDS THE RUNWAY, AND DURING THE DESCENT, THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED A TREE BRANCH. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST UPRIGHT, THE PILOT SWITCHED THE FUEL VALVE SELECTOR TO THE 'OFF' POSITION, AND EXITED THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT THE POSITION OF THE FUEL VALVE SELECTOR AT THE TIME THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE SITE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH WAS IN 'OFF' POSITION AND THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR SWITCH WAS IN THE 'RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK' POSITION. THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK AND BOTH AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS WERE FULL OF FUEL. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK CONTAINED MINIMAL FUEL. ADDITIONALLY, THE FUEL LINE LEADING TO THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WAS REMOVED AND OBSERVED TO BE DRY. FUEL WAS MANUALLY PUMPED THROUGH THE FUEL LINE, THE SYSTEM APPEARED TO OPERATE NORMALLY AND NO LEAKS WERE FOUND. OUT OF A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 800 HOURS, THE PILOT HAD 13 HOURS IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #FTW98LA300
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.