What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot stated that he was making a steep turn at approximately 500 feet AGL when the engine lost power. Fuel capacity of this aircraft is approximately 15 gallons. When the engine lost power, there was approximately 4 to 5 gallons of fuel remaining. Pilot stated that with only this amount of fuel remaining, and in a steep turn that the fuel may have moved away from the fuel tnak outlet and caused a temporary loss of power. Pilot also stated that the engine did restart after he rolled the aircraft back to level flight, but had insufficient altitude to recovery before impacting trees. (.19) on August 12, 2001, at 1100 eastern standard time, a schuetz miniplane DSA-1, N11991, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with trees and terrain following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing near Michigan city, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The flight's origin and intended destination are unconfirmed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS MAKING A STEEP TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AGL WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. FUEL CAPACITY OF THIS AIRCRAFT IS APPROXIMATELY 15 GALLONS. WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER, THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 TO 5 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING. PILOT STATED THAT WITH ONLY THIS AMOUNT OF FUEL REMAINING, AND IN A STEEP TURN THAT THE FUEL MAY HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM THE FUEL TNAK OUTLET AND CAUSED A TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER. PILOT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE DID RESTART AFTER HE ROLLED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO LEVEL FLIGHT, BUT HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RECOVERY BEFORE IMPACTING TREES. (.19) ON AUGUST 12, 2001, AT 1100 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A SCHUETZ MINIPLANE DSA-1, N11991, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING NEAR MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND WAS NOT ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT'S ORIGIN AND INTENDED DESTINATION ARE UNCONFIRMED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.