What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft lost power right after takeoff from runway 36, and crashed into trees approx. 1/4 mile from the end of the runway. The accident investigation revealed that the engine operated normally, the right fuel tank was full, and the left fuel tank was empty. There were no malfunctions of the fuel system. The pilot stated that he had been flying from the left tank only, for approx. 35 minutes, prior to the loss of power. An interview of the aircraft owner/airfield operator and of the pilot who had last flown the aircraft revealed that approx. 1 hr and twenty minutes had been flown from the left fuel tank, after starting with both tanks full, one week prior to the accident, and that the aircraft had not been refueled since, including on the day the accident took place.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT LOST POWER RIGHT AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 36, AND CRASHED INTO TREES APPROX. 1/4 MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY, THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS FULL, AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. THERE WERE NO MALFUNCTIONS OF THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN FLYING FROM THE LEFT TANK ONLY, FOR APPROX. 35 MINUTES, PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF POWER. AN INTERVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT OWNER/AIRFIELD OPERATOR AND OF THE PILOT WHO HAD LAST FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT APPROX. 1 HR AND TWENTY MINUTES HAD BEEN FLOWN FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK, AFTER STARTING WITH BOTH TANKS FULL, ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN REFUELED SINCE, INCLUDING ON THE DAY THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.