What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot stated that while on final approach to the Tacoma narrows airport his engine quit at an altitude of approximately 800 feet. The pilot executed an emergency landing in a field north of the runway, approximately 1500 yards short of the runway. The aircraft nose wheel fork broke on landing and the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that during his preflight inspection that he had fuel up to the tab slot in the right tank (27 gallons) and the left fuel tank had no visual indication of fuel, but the left fuel indicator indicated approximately 1/2 full. The pilot stated that he was only going up for about 1/2 hour and determined he had plenty of fuel on board for the intended flight. The pilot stated that he took off from the airport on the right tank, as it was the fullest tank, and thinks he may have switched to the left tank during his short flight. The pilot stated that after the engine quit he thinks he switched to the right tank to try a restart. Inspection of the aircraft revealed the fuel selector in the right position. Both the left and right fuel tanks and the fuel strainer had fuel present.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE TACOMA NARROWS AIRPORT HIS ENGINE QUIT AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD NORTH OF THE RUNWAY, APPROXIMATELY 1500 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT NOSE WHEEL FORK BROKE ON LANDING AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION THAT HE HAD FUEL UP TO THE TAB SLOT IN THE RIGHT TANK (27 GALLONS) AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK HAD NO VISUAL INDICATION OF FUEL, BUT THE LEFT FUEL INDICATOR INDICATED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 FULL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ONLY GOING UP FOR ABOUT 1/2 HOUR AND DETERMINED HE HAD PLENTY OF FUEL ON BOARD FOR THE INTENDED FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF FROM THE AIRPORT ON THE RIGHT TANK, AS IT WAS THE FULLEST TANK, AND THINKS HE MAY HAVE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK DURING HIS SHORT FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT HE THINKS HE SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK TO TRY A RESTART. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE RIGHT POSITION. BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS AND THE FUEL STRAINER HAD FUEL PRESENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.