What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) privacy data omitted (pilot/owner) departed princeton (39N) on a biannual flight review with CFI privacy data omitted. During an ILS low approach from Trenton Mercer (tnn) runway 06 climbing thru 2000 feet the engine started to surge. With the engine surging, they attempted to turn back to tnn and land on runway 24. The two pilots stated that once they turned back to tnn they encountered several problems. There was an aircraft on runway 06 for takeoff. They were too high for a runway 24 landing and needed to make s-turns. There was a strong wind from the northwest. During a turn the wind took them too FAR to the left side of runway 24 for landing. During a right turn attempting to get back to the runway the engine quit. privacy data omitted The flying pilot stated that the aircraft stalled about 15 feet above the ground. The aircraft hit the ground about 75 yards from the side of runway 24, on a heading of about 45 degrees to the runway. The impact sheared off both main gears at the point of impact and did substantial damage to the airframe. The aircraft traveled about 50 yards on it's belly and stopped about 25 yards from runway 24. This investigation is still in progress. This 8020-23 will be amendedlater. (-23 amendment) 25 gallons of fuel was in the right wing and 1 gallon in the left wing. The wing to wing transfer valve was open. The pilot did not understand the fuel transfer pump switch could be latched on. Pilots stated no fuel checks were made before the engine started surging and flamed out. The pilot also stated all fuel system switches were on and the abnormal fuel balance/feeding condition went unnoticed. The pilot did not properly manage and monitor the fuel and fuel system.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ^PRIVACY DA^ (PILOT/OWNER) DEPARTED PRINCETON (39N) ON A BIANNUAL FLIGHT REVIEW WITH CFI ^PRIVACY^. DURING AN ILS LOW APPROACH FROM TRENTON MERCER (TNN) RUNWAY 06 CLIMBING THRU 2000 FEET THE ENGINE STARTED TO SURGE. WITH THE ENGINE SURGING, THEY ATTEMPTED TO TURN BACK TO TNN AND LAND ON RUNWAY 24. THE TWO PILOTS STATED THAT ONCE THEY TURNED BACK TO TNN THEY ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL PROBLEMS. THERE WAS AN AIRCRAFT ON RUNWAY 06 FOR TAKEOFF. THEY WERE TOO HIGH FOR A RUNWAY 24 LANDING AND NEEDED TO MAKE S-TURNS. THERE WAS A STRONG WIND FROM THE NORTHWEST. DURING A TURN THE WIND TOOK THEM TOO FAR TO THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 24 FOR LANDING. DURING A RIGHT TURN ATTEMPTING TO GET BACK TO THE RUNWAY THE ENGINE QUIT. ^PRIVACY DA^ THE FLYING PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT STALLED ABOUT 15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND ABOUT 75 YARDS FROM THE SIDE OF RUNWAY 24, ON A HEADING OF ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO THE RUNWAY. THE IMPACT SHEARED OFF BOTH MAIN GEARS AT THE POINT OF IMPACT AND DID SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED ABOUT 50 YARDS ON IT'S BELLY AND STOPPED ABOUT 25 YARDS FROM RUNWAY 24. THIS INVESTIGATION IS STILL IN PROGRESS. THIS 8020-23 WILL BE AMENDEDLATER. (-23 AMENDMENT) 25 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS IN THE RIGHT WING AND 1 GALLON IN THE LEFT WING. THE WING TO WING TRANSFER VALVE WAS OPEN. THE PILOT DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP SWITCH COULD BE LATCHED ON. PILOTS STATED NO FUEL CHECKS WERE MADE BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTED SURGING AND FLAMED OUT. THE PILOT ALSO STATED ALL FUEL SYSTEM SWITCHES WERE ON AND THE ABNORMAL FUEL BALANCE/FEEDING CONDITION WENT UNNOTICED. THE PILOT DID NOT PROPERLY MANAGE AND MONITOR THE FUEL AND FUEL SYSTEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.