What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 25, 2003 the flight originated in smf at CFI aviation. The commercial pilot, ilya ivanyuk flew with his student to visalia and dropped him off. After he departed visalia at about 1230 PDT he experienced a rough running engine. The pilot attempted a restart but was unable to get power. He landed in a plowed field in a southwest direction and upon touchdown flipped over to the inverted position. VFR conditions prevailed and the sole occupant/pilot was uninjured. The aircraft was substantially damaged and no flight plan was filed. Upon further investigation the fuel selector was found in the left tank position with only approximately 1/2 gallon of fuel remaining in the left tank. It was noted that fuel was observed to be dripping out of the left fuel cap when the airplane was upside down.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 25, 2003 THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN SMF AT CFI AVIATION. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, ILYA IVANYUK FLEW WITH HIS STUDENT TO VISALIA AND DROPPED HIM OFF. AFTER HE DEPARTED VISALIA AT ABOUT 1230 PDT HE EXPERIENCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RESTART BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET POWER. HE LANDED IN A PLOWED FIELD IN A SOUTHWEST DIRECTION AND UPON TOUCHDOWN FLIPPED OVER TO THE INVERTED POSITION. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND THE SOLE OCCUPANT/PILOT WAS UNINJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK POSITION WITH ONLY APPROXIMATELY 1/2 GALLON OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE LEFT TANK. IT WAS NOTED THAT FUEL WAS OBSERVED TO BE DRIPPING OUT OF THE LEFT FUEL CAP WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS UPSIDE DOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.