What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 01/14/01, the aircraft departed warrenton, VA, W66 with 70 gallons of fuel indicated on the fuel quantity gauge. The aircraft was being repositioned to Crewe, VA, airport (W81) in preparation for aerial spraying. On the way to W81, the pilot determined that there was more headwind "than usual" and landed in louisa, VA (lku) to refuel. Without shutting down he communicated with hand signals with line personnel that he needed fuel and was told that he would have to wait until "10:00". The pilot chose to continue the flight to W81 and departed. The engine quit running just before W81 and the forced landing occurred. The pilot said that he had tried to air-start the engine, which was unsuccessful. The engine stopped running approximately 7-10 seconds before entering the trees and came to rest approximately 4 NM north of the W81. The left wing tip and left aileron were wrapped around a pine tree approximately 25 feet up in the tree. The aircraft came to rest in a nose down attitude with substantial damage to the right wing and tail section.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 01/14/01, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WARRENTON, VA, W66 WITH 70 GALLONS OF FUEL INDICATED ON THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING REPOSITIONED TO CREWE, VA, AIRPORT (W81) IN PREPARATION FOR AERIAL SPRAYING. ON THE WAY TO W81, THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS MORE HEADWIND "THAN USUAL" AND LANDED IN LOUISA, VA (LKU) TO REFUEL. WITHOUT SHUTTING DOWN HE COMMUNICATED WITH HAND SIGNALS WITH LINE PERSONNEL THAT HE NEEDED FUEL AND WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL "10:00". THE PILOT CHOSE TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT TO W81 AND DEPARTED. THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING JUST BEFORE W81 AND THE FORCED LANDING OCCURRED. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD TRIED TO AIR-START THE ENGINE, WHICH WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING APPROXIMATELY 7-10 SECONDS BEFORE ENTERING THE TREES AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 4 NM NORTH OF THE W81. THE LEFT WING TIP AND LEFT AILERON WERE WRAPPED AROUND A PINE TREE APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET UP IN THE TREE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING AND TAIL SECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.