What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 2, 2005, at 1930 EST, a 1934 Piper E-2, N2122, s/n 84, operated by the pilot privacy data omitted departed from a grass strip located at 2010 us route 11, Hastings, new york 13076. The aircraft was heading north at approximately 150 feet AGL when the engine stopped. The pilot's written statement said he executed a 180-degree turn and made the turn fine, but did not have enough altitude to clear a 40-foot tree line to land back at his grass strip. He landed in the tops of the trees. He started to get out of the aircraft when the aircraft fell to the ground. The pilot turned off the fuel and checked to see if the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) went off, which it did not. The local authorities and the crash, fire, and rescue responded to the accident site. FAA inspectors inspected the aircraft engine, which revealed no abnormality. The aircraft fuel system was inspected which revealed that the fuel tank was internally corroded with rusted metal flakes and sediment on the bottom of the fuel tank. This caused the engine to possibly starve of fuel when the rusted metal particles blocked the AN822-5 fitting exiting the fuel tank to the aircraft's fuel selector valve. The inspectors started the aircraft engine, which verified the engine magneto was operating. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and nof flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage. The pilot was not injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 2, 2005, AT 1930 EST, A 1934 PIPER E-2, N2122, S/N 84, OPERATED BY THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED FROM A GRASS STRIP LOCATED AT 2010 US ROUTE 11, HASTINGS, NEW YORK 13076. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING NORTH AT APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET AGL WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT SAID HE EXECUTED A 180-DEGREE TURN AND MADE THE TURN FINE, BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO CLEAR A 40-FOOT TREE LINE TO LAND BACK AT HIS GRASS STRIP. HE LANDED IN THE TOPS OF THE TREES. HE STARTED TO GET OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT FELL TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT TURNED OFF THE FUEL AND CHECKED TO SEE IF THE EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER (ELT) WENT OFF, WHICH IT DID NOT. THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND THE CRASH, FIRE, AND RESCUE RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE. FAA INSPECTORS INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE, WHICH REVEALED NO ABNORMALITY. THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM WAS INSPECTED WHICH REVEALED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS INTERNALLY CORRODED WITH RUSTED METAL FLAKES AND SEDIMENT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO POSSIBLY STARVE OF FUEL WHEN THE RUSTED METAL PARTICLES BLOCKED THE AN822-5 FITTING EXITING THE FUEL TANK TO THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL SELECTOR VALVE. THE INSPECTORS STARTED THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE, WHICH VERIFIED THE ENGINE MAGNETO WAS OPERATING. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NOF FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.