What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot departed in a nne direction from Winnemucca, NV airport (wmc) at approximately 13:00 LCL after taking on fuel (11.4 gals). Fuel capacity of aircraft is 17.3 gallons. Enroute the pilot became disoriented (lost) and made a precautionary landing on highway 225 at owyhee, NV due to a low fuel state. Pilot obtained 14 gallons of automotive fuel at a service station and attempted to take off route 225, at aproximately 1603 LCL, striking a road marker with the right lower wing tip. Takeoff was aborted and damaged assessed by the pilot. (Pilot holds airframe and powerplant ratings). The pilot removed a non structural wing tip assy and taped the tip with duct tape. A second takeoff was initiated successfully and the pilot took a dead reckoning compass heading for Winnemucca after locating the owyhee airport (10U). Enroute to Winnemucca, NV the pilot was flying in some rain (still VFR) and once again became disoriented. Finally the pilot located state highway 95 and proceeded south toward Winnemucca, NV. Twelve to thirteen miles north of Winnemucca, NV the aircraft lost power due to fuel starvation and the pilot crash landed the aircraft on an east west dirt road intersecting state route 95.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT DEPARTED IN A NNE DIRECTION FROM WINNEMUCCA, NV AIRPORT (WMC) AT APPROXIMATELY 13:00 LCL AFTER TAKING ON FUEL (11.4 GALS). FUEL CAPACITY OF AIRCRAFT IS 17.3 GALLONS. ENROUTE THE PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED (LOST) AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON HIGHWAY 225 AT OWYHEE, NV DUE TO A LOW FUEL STATE. PILOT OBTAINED 14 GALLONS OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL AT A SERVICE STATION AND ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF ROUTE 225, AT APROXIMATELY 1603 LCL, STRIKING A ROAD MARKER WITH THE RIGHT LOWER WING TIP. TAKEOFF WAS ABORTED AND DAMAGED ASSESSED BY THE PILOT. (PILOT HOLDS AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT RATINGS). THE PILOT REMOVED A NON STRUCTURAL WING TIP ASSY AND TAPED THE TIP WITH DUCT TAPE. A SECOND TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED SUCCESSFULLY AND THE PILOT TOOK A DEAD RECKONING COMPASS HEADING FOR WINNEMUCCA AFTER LOCATING THE OWYHEE AIRPORT (10U). ENROUTE TO WINNEMUCCA, NV THE PILOT WAS FLYING IN SOME RAIN (STILL VFR) AND ONCE AGAIN BECAME DISORIENTED. FINALLY THE PILOT LOCATED STATE HIGHWAY 95 AND PROCEEDED SOUTH TOWARD WINNEMUCCA, NV. TWELVE TO THIRTEEN MILES NORTH OF WINNEMUCCA, NV THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION AND THE PILOT CRASH LANDED THE AIRCRAFT ON AN EAST WEST DIRT ROAD INTERSECTING STATE ROUTE 95.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.