What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The pilot said he had last received fuel a couple months ago at porterville, and since then, had only flown the aircraft 1.7 hours. He kept the aircraft tied down outside. After rolling out of a left turn, the engine began to run rough and the RPM started to decrease. He switched fuel tanks, but reported that it didn't help. He initiated an emergency landing onto an asphalt track and during the approach, collided with electrical power lines that ran perpendicular to the track. He stated that he had not seen the power lines. The aircraft impacted the ground and came to rest about 200 feet from the power lines in 50-degree nose down attitude. The FAA inspector who responded to the site reported that the fuel tanks were found intact. Aircraft retrievers drained 1.25 total gallons of fuel from the aircraft. There was also about 1 gallon of fuel on the ground. No discrepancies were found during an engine examination. The fuel vents were clear and unobstructed. There was no fuel found in the carburetor or the fuel lines. (-23) fuel tanks near empty (1.25 gal retrieved) on aircraft recovery. Aircraft banking in 360 degree turns when engine malfunctioned. Aircraft too lo w (400' AGL) to recover power before being forced to land. Hit power lines on approach to honda r & d test oval track.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE PILOT SAID HE HAD LAST RECEIVED FUEL A COUPLE MONTHS AGO AT PORTERVILLE, AND SINCE THEN, HAD ONLY FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT 1.7 HOURS. HE KEPT THE AIRCRAFT TIED DOWN OUTSIDE. AFTER ROLLING OUT OF A LEFT TURN, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THE RPM STARTED TO DECREASE. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, BUT REPORTED THAT IT DIDN'T HELP. HE INITIATED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ONTO AN ASPHALT TRACK AND DURING THE APPROACH, COLLIDED WITH ELECTRICAL POWER LINES THAT RAN PERPENDICULAR TO THE TRACK. HE STATED THAT HE HAD NOT SEEN THE POWER LINES. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 200 FEET FROM THE POWER LINES IN 50-DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO RESPONDED TO THE SITE REPORTED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND INTACT. AIRCRAFT RETRIEVERS DRAINED 1.25 TOTAL GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS ALSO ABOUT 1 GALLON OF FUEL ON THE GROUND. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING AN ENGINE EXAMINATION. THE FUEL VENTS WERE CLEAR AND UNOBSTRUCTED. THERE WAS NO FUEL FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR OR THE FUEL LINES. (-23) FUEL TANKS NEAR EMPTY (1.25 GAL RETRIEVED) ON AIRCRAFT RECOVERY. AIRCRAFT BANKING IN 360 DEGREE TURNS WHEN ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED. AIRCRAFT TOO LO W (400' AGL) TO RECOVER POWER BEFORE BEING FORCED TO LAND. HIT POWER LINES ON APPROACH TO HONDA R & D TEST OVAL TRACK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.