What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was interviewed at the accident site. He stated that aircraft engine stopped abruptly at 5500MSL, he primed twice and each prime resulted in momentary engine restart. He stated he had flown less than two hours on full tanks. With master switch on, both tanks indicated below empty, and no fuel could be discerned in either tank. The following morning I returned to accident site and put my fingers in tanks and touched fuel, and the right tank indicated one quarter full. Aircraft recovery team salvaged 8 gallons total from aircraft. Aircraft has 39 gallon capacity and burns 8 gallons per hour, at less than two hours flight, tanks should have held 23+ gallons. No evidence of spilled fuel on ground. Pilot at first stated that he fueled prior to departure, then stated later that he flew the night before and topped off the night previous to departure. He stated initially that he flew only minutes the night before and should have taken very little fuel, when I informed him that the FBO recorded a one gallon fueling for the time he indicated, he stated that they must not have fueled one wing.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS INTERVIEWED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. HE STATED THAT AIRCRAFT ENGINE STOPPED ABRUPTLY AT 5500MSL, HE PRIMED TWICE AND EACH PRIME RESULTED IN MOMENTARY ENGINE RESTART. HE STATED HE HAD FLOWN LESS THAN TWO HOURS ON FULL TANKS. WITH MASTER SWITCH ON, BOTH TANKS INDICATED BELOW EMPTY, AND NO FUEL COULD BE DISCERNED IN EITHER TANK. THE FOLLOWING MORNING I RETURNED TO ACCIDENT SITE AND PUT MY FINGERS IN TANKS AND TOUCHED FUEL, AND THE RIGHT TANK INDICATED ONE QUARTER FULL. AIRCRAFT RECOVERY TEAM SALVAGED 8 GALLONS TOTAL FROM AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT HAS 39 GALLON CAPACITY AND BURNS 8 GALLONS PER HOUR, AT LESS THAN TWO HOURS FLIGHT, TANKS SHOULD HAVE HELD 23+ GALLONS. NO EVIDENCE OF SPILLED FUEL ON GROUND. PILOT AT FIRST STATED THAT HE FUELED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THEN STATED LATER THAT HE FLEW THE NIGHT BEFORE AND TOPPED OFF THE NIGHT PREVIOUS TO DEPARTURE. HE STATED INITIALLY THAT HE FLEW ONLY MINUTES THE NIGHT BEFORE AND SHOULD HAVE TAKEN VERY LITTLE FUEL, WHEN I INFORMED HIM THAT THE FBO RECORDED A ONE GALLON FUELING FOR THE TIME HE INDICATED, HE STATED THAT THEY MUST NOT HAVE FUELED ONE WING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.