What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)Aircraft flown for forrest fire spotting for KY. Forrester division. Acft departed from Mt. Sterling KY landed at big sandy aircraft (did not take on fuel). Flew a total of 5 hrs prior to crash. Pilot reported engine stalled re-started and stalled again, then he shut down the engine and made an off feild engine off landing. Aircraft landed in an open corn field traveled approx 300 ft. and came to rest up side down. On scene investigation revealed both fuel tanks were empty, with some fuel fluid found in the fire wall to carbueator. (.4) the pilot stated that on the day of the accident, he flew between 5-6 hours, but estimated an endurance of 7 hours based on full tanks at the economy cruise setting. During his fourth flight of the day, the engine lost all power. The pilot told the passenger that he thought he was out of fuel, and performed a forced landing into a cornfield. The pilot added that before he departed on his first flight of the day, he instructed the fixed based operator to completely fuel the airplane. Subsequently, during the preflight inspection, both tanks appeared to be full. However, the manager of the fixed based operator stated that prior to the accident pilot arriving at the airport, the airplane was flown 1.2 hours by a different pilot. After that flight, the airplane was not refueled before the accident pilot departed. The manager believed the accident pilot departed with 76 gallons of fuel, instead of the 88-gallon useable capacity.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)AIRCRAFT FLOWN FOR FORREST FIRE SPOTTING FOR KY. FORRESTER DIVISION. ACFT DEPARTED FROM MT. STERLING KY LANDED AT BIG SANDY AIRCRAFT (DID NOT TAKE ON FUEL). FLEW A TOTAL OF 5 HRS PRIOR TO CRASH. PILOT REPORTED ENGINE STALLED RE-STARTED AND STALLED AGAIN, THEN HE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND MADE AN OFF FEILD ENGINE OFF LANDING. AIRCRAFT LANDED IN AN OPEN CORN FIELD TRAVELED APPROX 300 FT. AND CAME TO REST UP SIDE DOWN. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY, WITH SOME FUEL FLUID FOUND IN THE FIRE WALL TO CARBUEATOR. (.4) THE PILOT STATED THAT ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, HE FLEW BETWEEN 5-6 HOURS, BUT ESTIMATED AN ENDURANCE OF 7 HOURS BASED ON FULL TANKS AT THE ECONOMY CRUISE SETTING. DURING HIS FOURTH FLIGHT OF THE DAY, THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. THE PILOT TOLD THE PASSENGER THAT HE THOUGHT HE WAS OUT OF FUEL, AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING INTO A CORNFIELD. THE PILOT ADDED THAT BEFORE HE DEPARTED ON HIS FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY, HE INSTRUCTED THE FIXED BASED OPERATOR TO COMPLETELY FUEL THE AIRPLANE. SUBSEQUENTLY, DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, BOTH TANKS APPEARED TO BE FULL. HOWEVER, THE MANAGER OF THE FIXED BASED OPERATOR STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT PILOT ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN 1.2 HOURS BY A DIFFERENT PILOT. AFTER THAT FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT REFUELED BEFORE THE ACCIDENT PILOT DEPARTED. THE MANAGER BELIEVED THE ACCIDENT PILOT DEPARTED WITH 76 GALLONS OF FUEL, INSTEAD OF THE 88-GALLON USEABLE CAPACITY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.