What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot last visually checked fuel at greensfield airport (M71). Pilot estimated "just under 25 gallons in the right and a little over 15 in the left" at that point. Pilot then flew to versailles airport (3VS) with the fuel selector on the right tank. The pilot departed 3VS without visually checking the fuel and continued flying with the selector switch on the right tank. On descent into creve coeur airport (1H0), the engine "lunged" and then quit. The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing to the only open field in the suburban area. The pilot failed to change fuel tanks after the engine failure. The pilot elected to lower the landing gear when crossing the trees, which were the last barrier to the landing area. The airplane struck the trees, knocking off several branches. The airplane lost its landing gear either when it struck the trees or when it impacted the ground. The pilot continued with a relatively normal gear up landing in the field. Upon investigation, the fuel selector was in the right tank position, there was no fuel in the right tank, and the left tank was full. Later statements by the pilot acknowledged that the fuel had been exhausted in the right tank. Pilot also stated the airplane normally flew right wing heavy.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT LAST VISUALLY CHECKED FUEL AT GREENSFIELD AIRPORT (M71). PILOT ESTIMATED "JUST UNDER 25 GALLONS IN THE RIGHT AND A LITTLE OVER 15 IN THE LEFT" AT THAT POINT. PILOT THEN FLEW TO VERSAILLES AIRPORT (3VS) WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT DEPARTED 3VS WITHOUT VISUALLY CHECKING THE FUEL AND CONTINUED FLYING WITH THE SELECTOR SWITCH ON THE RIGHT TANK. ON DESCENT INTO CREVE COEUR AIRPORT (1H0), THE ENGINE "LUNGED" AND THEN QUIT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO THE ONLY OPEN FIELD IN THE SUBURBAN AREA. THE PILOT FAILED TO CHANGE FUEL TANKS AFTER THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR WHEN CROSSING THE TREES, WHICH WERE THE LAST BARRIER TO THE LANDING AREA. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TREES, KNOCKING OFF SEVERAL BRANCHES. THE AIRPLANE LOST ITS LANDING GEAR EITHER WHEN IT STRUCK THE TREES OR WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE PILOT CONTINUED WITH A RELATIVELY NORMAL GEAR UP LANDING IN THE FIELD. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION, THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK, AND THE LEFT TANK WAS FULL. LATER STATEMENTS BY THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE FUEL HAD BEEN EXHAUSTED IN THE RIGHT TANK. PILOT ALSO STATED THE AIRPLANE NORMALLY FLEW RIGHT WING HEAVY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.