What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed joseph Oregon (4S3) with a presumed 33 gallons of fuel, based on the pilot sticking both tanks. Approximately 20 NM west of gooding, Idaho (gng), while operating on the right tank, the engine quit. Pilot attempted to switch to the left tank and restart, but was unsuccessful. Pilot elected to land in an alfalfa field. Minor aircraft damage was incurred due to contact with an elevated telephone cable on final approach. Post incident inspection revealed 2.5 gallons of fuel remaining in the left tank instead of the 6 gallons assumed by the pilot from his calculations. Further inspection revealed errors in the dipsticks used. A "fuelhawk" universal tube type was determined to have a 2 gallon error, and a pilot made dipstick was found to have a 3 gallon error. Further, it was determined that the tank capacity is 28.5 gallons total, not 30 gallons as placarded. Owner is researching installation of the 30 gallon tanks, and will report to this office. Pilot has received counseling from this office regarding fuel management preflight actions, as well as operation with low fuel (fairchild sb 44-7-C).
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED JOSEPH OREGON (4S3) WITH A PRESUMED 33 GALLONS OF FUEL, BASED ON THE PILOT STICKING BOTH TANKS. APPROXIMATELY 20 NM WEST OF GOODING, IDAHO (GNG), WHILE OPERATING ON THE RIGHT TANK, THE ENGINE QUIT. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH TO THE LEFT TANK AND RESTART, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN AN ALFALFA FIELD. MINOR AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS INCURRED DUE TO CONTACT WITH AN ELEVATED TELEPHONE CABLE ON FINAL APPROACH. POST INCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED 2.5 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE LEFT TANK INSTEAD OF THE 6 GALLONS ASSUMED BY THE PILOT FROM HIS CALCULATIONS. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED ERRORS IN THE DIPSTICKS USED. A "FUELHAWK" UNIVERSAL TUBE TYPE WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE A 2 GALLON ERROR, AND A PILOT MADE DIPSTICK WAS FOUND TO HAVE A 3 GALLON ERROR. FURTHER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TANK CAPACITY IS 28.5 GALLONS TOTAL, NOT 30 GALLONS AS PLACARDED. OWNER IS RESEARCHING INSTALLATION OF THE 30 GALLON TANKS, AND WILL REPORT TO THIS OFFICE. PILOT HAS RECEIVED COUNSELING FROM THIS OFFICE REGARDING FUEL MANAGEMENT PREFLIGHT ACTIONS, AS WELL AS OPERATION WITH LOW FUEL (FAIRCHILD SB 44-7-C).
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