What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot had made a flight from groveland, CA (Q68) to O22 (columbia, CA) and was returning to groveland with his daughter in day VMC. After takeoff and leveling off he began to lean the fuel mixture and noticed a large drop off in power. He enriched the fuel mixture but the engine continued to lose power. He noted the fuel totalizer read 14 gallons remaining and quickly picked a landing site. The engine would not regain power and an off field landing was made near a golf course. The airplane hit a fence on landing roll out and went over ditch that was two lower than the rest of the airplane causing substantial damage to the engine firewall. No injuries reported and no fire. The pilot who is an a & p mechanic took the wings off and noted only a small residual amount of fuel remaining. No flight plan filed. Pilot uncertain why electronic fuel totalizer read incorrectly.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT HAD MADE A FLIGHT FROM GROVELAND, CA (Q68) TO O22 (COLUMBIA, CA) AND WAS RETURNING TO GROVELAND WITH HIS DAUGHTER IN DAY VMC. AFTER TAKEOFF AND LEVELING OFF HE BEGAN TO LEAN THE FUEL MIXTURE AND NOTICED A LARGE DROP OFF IN POWER. HE ENRICHED THE FUEL MIXTURE BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER. HE NOTED THE FUEL TOTALIZER READ 14 GALLONS REMAINING AND QUICKLY PICKED A LANDING SITE. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT REGAIN POWER AND AN OFF FIELD LANDING WAS MADE NEAR A GOLF COURSE. THE AIRPLANE HIT A FENCE ON LANDING ROLL OUT AND WENT OVER DITCH THAT WAS TWO LOWER THAN THE REST OF THE AIRPLANE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE FIREWALL. NO INJURIES REPORTED AND NO FIRE. THE PILOT WHO IS AN A & P MECHANIC TOOK THE WINGS OFF AND NOTED ONLY A SMALL RESIDUAL AMOUNT OF FUEL REMAINING. NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. PILOT UNCERTAIN WHY ELECTRONIC FUEL TOTALIZER READ INCORRECTLY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.