What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Arft began losing power on the base leg inbound to rwy 32 when it crashed into trees while turning onto final 1/2 mile southeast of the arpt, other circumstances are unknown. (.4) the pilot was on a local flight to demonstrate the airplane to someone interested in purchasing the same make and model. While on final approach, the airplane lost power and came to rest suspended in a tree during the subsequent forced landing. The fire chief responded to the scene. He said the airplane was suspended in a tree. He said, 'the nose was straight down in the trees. The fuel was dripping from the right wing, whether it was running from the left side and dripping from the right, I can't tell you.' Examination of the airplane by a federal aviation administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector revealed the left fuel tank was compromised during the accident sequence. The right fuel tank was intact and contained no fuel. The airplane's engine started and ran on the airframe utilizing the airplane's own fuel system. The pilot said that a review of his records revealed the airplane had flown approximately 2-2.5 hours since the last fuel service. The pilot estimated his fuel burn rate average d 10 gallons per hour. The airplane had a fuel capacity of 26 gallons per wing tank for a total of 52 gallons. (-23) as aircraft turned downwind leg for Sanford airport, pilot switched on fuel pump, applied carburetor heat, went to full rich mixture and throttled back to 1500 RPM. On final approach, approximately half mile from runway, the RPM began falling until engine quit running. Pilot switched fuel tanks without success and landed in the trees short of the runway.
As the FAA filed it
ARFT BEGAN LOSING POWER ON THE BASE LEG INBOUND TO RWY 32 WHEN IT CRASHED INTO TREES WHILE TURNING ONTO FINAL 1/2 MILE SOUTHEAST OF THE ARPT, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.4) THE PILOT WAS ON A LOCAL FLIGHT TO DEMONSTRATE THE AIRPLANE TO SOMEONE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE LOST POWER AND CAME TO REST SUSPENDED IN A TREE DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING. THE FIRE CHIEF RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS SUSPENDED IN A TREE. HE SAID, 'THE NOSE WAS STRAIGHT DOWN IN THE TREES. THE FUEL WAS DRIPPING FROM THE RIGHT WING, WHETHER IT WAS RUNNING FROM THE LEFT SIDE AND DRIPPING FROM THE RIGHT, I CAN'T TELL YOU.' EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR REVEALED THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS COMPROMISED DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS INTACT AND CONTAINED NO FUEL. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE STARTED AND RAN ON THE AIRFRAME UTILIZING THE AIRPLANE'S OWN FUEL SYSTEM. THE PILOT SAID THAT A REVIEW OF HIS RECORDS REVEALED THE AIRPLANE HAD FLOWN APPROXIMATELY 2-2.5 HOURS SINCE THE LAST FUEL SERVICE. THE PILOT ESTIMATED HIS FUEL BURN RATE AVERAGE D 10 GALLONS PER HOUR. THE AIRPLANE HAD A FUEL CAPACITY OF 26 GALLONS PER WING TANK FOR A TOTAL OF 52 GALLONS. (-23) AS AIRCRAFT TURNED DOWNWIND LEG FOR SANFORD AIRPORT, PILOT SWITCHED ON FUEL PUMP, APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, WENT TO FULL RICH MIXTURE AND THROTTLED BACK TO 1500 RPM. ON FINAL APPROACH, APPROXIMATELY HALF MILE FROM RUNWAY, THE RPM BEGAN FALLING UNTIL ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS WITHOUT SUCCESS AND LANDED IN THE TREES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.