What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N823WT flew from reno stead (4SD) to turlock muni (O15) under VFR. Approx. 2 miles nw of O15, while approaching left downwind for rw 30, at approx 1000' AGL, the engine failed. The pilot switched fuel tanks, turned on the fuel pump, and enrichened the mixture but was unable to restore power. The aircraft landed in an alfalfa field adjacent to an almond orchard, narrowly missing the trees. The aircraft was in a left bank as it touched down impacting the left wing tip. The aircraft then slid to the right for approximately 140' prior to stopping. The landing gear collapsed, both wings suffered serious damage, the right aileron was damaged, the propeller and cowling were damaged. Post accident investigation indicated there was less than 2 gallons of gas in the tanks. The pilot reported that the fuel gauges were erroneous/inoperative and the pilot relied on a computer system to determine fuel status. The computer system measured fuel consumption through a connection to the engine fuel flow and involved the pilot entering the fuel quantity prior to flight. Prior to flight, the pilot believed he had adequate fuel based on the computer indication.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N823WT FLEW FROM RENO STEAD (4SD) TO TURLOCK MUNI (O15) UNDER VFR. APPROX. 2 MILES NW OF O15, WHILE APPROACHING LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RW 30, AT APPROX 1000' AGL, THE ENGINE FAILED. THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, TURNED ON THE FUEL PUMP, AND ENRICHENED THE MIXTURE BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN AN ALFALFA FIELD ADJACENT TO AN ALMOND ORCHARD, NARROWLY MISSING THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A LEFT BANK AS IT TOUCHED DOWN IMPACTING THE LEFT WING TIP. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SLID TO THE RIGHT FOR APPROXIMATELY 140' PRIOR TO STOPPING. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, BOTH WINGS SUFFERED SERIOUS DAMAGE, THE RIGHT AILERON WAS DAMAGED, THE PROPELLER AND COWLING WERE DAMAGED. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION INDICATED THERE WAS LESS THAN 2 GALLONS OF GAS IN THE TANKS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES WERE ERRONEOUS/INOPERATIVE AND THE PILOT RELIED ON A COMPUTER SYSTEM TO DETERMINE FUEL STATUS. THE COMPUTER SYSTEM MEASURED FUEL CONSUMPTION THROUGH A CONNECTION TO THE ENGINE FUEL FLOW AND INVOLVED THE PILOT ENTERING THE FUEL QUANTITY PRIOR TO FLIGHT. PRIOR TO FLIGHT, THE PILOT BELIEVED HE HAD ADEQUATE FUEL BASED ON THE COMPUTER INDICATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.