What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot stated he was over lake Hughes when the engine "sputtered." He thought the left tank was empty, and switched to the right tank, then to both. The engine ran normally for approximately 8 minutes longer, and then quit. After attempting to restart the engine, the pilot executed an off airport landing in the Santa Clarita river bed near soledad canyon road. During roll out from the landing, the left main tire caught a rut, causing the aircraft to veer left and collide with a pile of boulders, resulting in substantial damage. An FAA inspector responded to the scene. After leveling the airplane, the inspector noted that both left and right tanks were empty. The fuel strainer, located on the fire wall, contained approximately one cup of fuel. The inspector noted substantial fresh blue staining on the right wing from the fuel cap to the trailing edge of the wing. The right fuel cap filler neck seal was inspected and found to be split. No fuel spills were noted at the accident site. The pilot stated that he topped off the tanks at cameron air park, and produced a fuel receipt for 33.3 gallons of 100 ll, which he had purchased prior to the flight to whiteman, CA, his intendeddestination.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT STATED HE WAS OVER LAKE HUGHES WHEN THE ENGINE "SPUTTERED." HE THOUGHT THE LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY, AND SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK, THEN TO BOTH. THE ENGINE RAN NORMALLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 8 MINUTES LONGER, AND THEN QUIT. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE PILOT EXECUTED AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN THE SANTA CLARITA RIVER BED NEAR SOLEDAD CANYON ROAD. DURING ROLL OUT FROM THE LANDING, THE LEFT MAIN TIRE CAUGHT A RUT, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER LEFT AND COLLIDE WITH A PILE OF BOULDERS, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. AN FAA INSPECTOR RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. AFTER LEVELING THE AIRPLANE, THE INSPECTOR NOTED THAT BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE FUEL STRAINER, LOCATED ON THE FIRE WALL, CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY ONE CUP OF FUEL. THE INSPECTOR NOTED SUBSTANTIAL FRESH BLUE STAINING ON THE RIGHT WING FROM THE FUEL CAP TO THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE WING. THE RIGHT FUEL CAP FILLER NECK SEAL WAS INSPECTED AND FOUND TO BE SPLIT. NO FUEL SPILLS WERE NOTED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TOPPED OFF THE TANKS AT CAMERON AIR PARK, AND PRODUCED A FUEL RECEIPT FOR 33.3 GALLONS OF 100 LL, WHICH HE HAD PURCHASED PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT TO WHITEMAN, CA, HIS INTENDEDDESTINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.