What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot flew a cross-country flight from knox county (4I3), to darby dan airport (616), to the put in bay airport (3W2) on July 12, 2003. He departed at 08:30 am with an estimated 32 gal of fuel, 20 gal in the left wing and 12 gal in the right wing. He indicated in his statement that it would take approximately 27 gal to make the flight at his planned power setting of 21" map. He stated that he flew the trip using 23" map. He also states he misread how much fuel he had remaining prior to his departure from the put in bay airport for his return flight. After dropping off his passenger at the darby dan airport on the return flight, he took off on his 65 NM leg to know county airport to the northeast. He states he did not check his fuel prior to his departure from darby dan. He was in the vicinity of the Delaware county airport when he noticed the fuel pressure gage was indicating 0 lbs, he then turned on his fuel pump and switched tanks thinking he had 4 gals. Available. The aircraft experienced fuel starvation approximately 6 NM from the intended airport. The pilot made an emergency landing in a bean field south of the knox county airport. The aircraft received substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT FLEW A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM KNOX COUNTY (4I3), TO DARBY DAN AIRPORT (616), TO THE PUT IN BAY AIRPORT (3W2) ON JULY 12, 2003. HE DEPARTED AT 08:30 AM WITH AN ESTIMATED 32 GAL OF FUEL, 20 GAL IN THE LEFT WING AND 12 GAL IN THE RIGHT WING. HE INDICATED IN HIS STATEMENT THAT IT WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY 27 GAL TO MAKE THE FLIGHT AT HIS PLANNED POWER SETTING OF 21" MAP. HE STATED THAT HE FLEW THE TRIP USING 23" MAP. HE ALSO STATES HE MISREAD HOW MUCH FUEL HE HAD REMAINING PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE FROM THE PUT IN BAY AIRPORT FOR HIS RETURN FLIGHT. AFTER DROPPING OFF HIS PASSENGER AT THE DARBY DAN AIRPORT ON THE RETURN FLIGHT, HE TOOK OFF ON HIS 65 NM LEG TO KNOW COUNTY AIRPORT TO THE NORTHEAST. HE STATES HE DID NOT CHECK HIS FUEL PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE FROM DARBY DAN. HE WAS IN THE VICINITY OF THE DELAWARE COUNTY AIRPORT WHEN HE NOTICED THE FUEL PRESSURE GAGE WAS INDICATING 0 LBS, HE THEN TURNED ON HIS FUEL PUMP AND SWITCHED TANKS THINKING HE HAD 4 GALS. AVAILABLE. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED FUEL STARVATION APPROXIMATELY 6 NM FROM THE INTENDED AIRPORT. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A BEAN FIELD SOUTH OF THE KNOX COUNTY AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.