What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) This aircraft experienced an engine stopage due to fuel exhaustion. Upon examination, the reporting inspector found the right hand fuel cap missing. The aircraft was equipped with anti siphon valves in the filler ports. A section of the fuel cap retaining chain was found to be lodged between the flapper vlave and it's seat. This allowed siphoning to occur however at a very slow rate. At takeoff the aircraft had about 3 hours of fuel on board. The flight lasted about 1.1 hours. The fuel cap was found on the runway at the Collegedale airport. Pilot says he removed the cap to dip stick measure the fuel quantity. He further states that he is sure it was properly secured at the time of departure. The pilot statement is attached. (.4) according to the pilot, while approaching Collegedale airport, he noticed the fuel level was getting low. The left fuel gauge indicated the tank was almost empty, while the right fuel gauge still indicated a quarter tank. While preparing for a visual approach to runway 21, the engine sputtered and then lost power. He immediately turned toward runway 21 and attained best glide airspeed. At this time, he observed that he would not be able to r each the runway. He made a forced landing in a field adjacent to the airport and collided with a large fence post. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing fuel cap was missing. The right side of the airplane fuselage beyond the rear window and along the side of the tail cone had blue streaks in a similar color to 100 octane low lead aviation fuel. Examination of the filler ports and fuel caps disclosed no failures to these components. The fuel cap was found on the runway at the Collegedale airport.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THIS AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE STOPAGE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. UPON EXAMINATION, THE REPORTING INSPECTOR FOUND THE RIGHT HAND FUEL CAP MISSING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH ANTI SIPHON VALVES IN THE FILLER PORTS. A SECTION OF THE FUEL CAP RETAINING CHAIN WAS FOUND TO BE LODGED BETWEEN THE FLAPPER VLAVE AND IT'S SEAT. THIS ALLOWED SIPHONING TO OCCUR HOWEVER AT A VERY SLOW RATE. AT TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT HAD ABOUT 3 HOURS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE FLIGHT LASTED ABOUT 1.1 HOURS. THE FUEL CAP WAS FOUND ON THE RUNWAY AT THE COLLEGEDALE AIRPORT. PILOT SAYS HE REMOVED THE CAP TO DIP STICK MEASURE THE FUEL QUANTITY. HE FURTHER STATES THAT HE IS SURE IT WAS PROPERLY SECURED AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE. THE PILOT STATEMENT IS ATTACHED. (.4) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE APPROACHING COLLEGEDALE AIRPORT, HE NOTICED THE FUEL LEVEL WAS GETTING LOW. THE LEFT FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THE TANK WAS ALMOST EMPTY, WHILE THE RIGHT FUEL GAUGE STILL INDICATED A QUARTER TANK. WHILE PREPARING FOR A VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 21, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND THEN LOST POWER. HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED TOWARD RUNWAY 21 AND ATTAINED BEST GLIDE AIRSPEED. AT THIS TIME, HE OBSERVED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO R EACH THE RUNWAY. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT AND COLLIDED WITH A LARGE FENCE POST. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT WING FUEL CAP WAS MISSING. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE FUSELAGE BEYOND THE REAR WINDOW AND ALONG THE SIDE OF THE TAIL CONE HAD BLUE STREAKS IN A SIMILAR COLOR TO 100 OCTANE LOW LEAD AVIATION FUEL. EXAMINATION OF THE FILLER PORTS AND FUEL CAPS DISCLOSED NO FAILURES TO THESE COMPONENTS. THE FUEL CAP WAS FOUND ON THE RUNWAY AT THE COLLEGEDALE AIRPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.