What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot experienced immediate engine sputtering at low power after taking off from grass runway (40R6). Fuel gages indicated 1/2 left, 1/4 right. Pilot switched tanks, added throttle - engine cleared. Headed toward ttd for fuel, weather, and to flight flight plan. Engine sputtered/quit entering 4 downwind rnwy 7. Airframe fuel pump on continuous. Pilot switched tanks back and forth, started emerg. Procedures. Engine started and ran on one tank but not the other (doesn't remember which). When engine started it shot him long. Called tower with engine problems. Turned base/final and engine quit again. Made emerg. Landing on neighborhood street. Landing gear departed aircraft/aircraft skidded on belly approx. 200 ft before impacting tree with l wing. L wing leading edge and fuel tank ripped open. Substantial damage to fuselage and wings. No sign of fuel, either tank, upon faa's arrival. Wing tank sump valves were both sheared off. Investigation revealed fuel tank seam sealant (slosh) flaking off inside l tank and flakes in gascolator. No contamination at finger screen inlet to fuel servo. Fuel at inlet and outlet of servo. Pilot states visual check of fuel previous night showed 15-17 gal in l tank/some in r.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT EXPERIENCED IMMEDIATE ENGINE SPUTTERING AT LOW POWER AFTER TAKING OFF FROM GRASS RUNWAY (40R6). FUEL GAGES INDICATED 1/2 LEFT, 1/4 RIGHT. PILOT SWITCHED TANKS, ADDED THROTTLE - ENGINE CLEARED. HEADED TOWARD TTD FOR FUEL, WEATHER, AND TO FLIGHT FLIGHT PLAN. ENGINE SPUTTERED/QUIT ENTERING 4 DOWNWIND RNWY 7. AIRFRAME FUEL PUMP ON CONTINUOUS. PILOT SWITCHED TANKS BACK AND FORTH, STARTED EMERG. PROCEDURES. ENGINE STARTED AND RAN ON ONE TANK BUT NOT THE OTHER (DOESN'T REMEMBER WHICH). WHEN ENGINE STARTED IT SHOT HIM LONG. CALLED TOWER WITH ENGINE PROBLEMS. TURNED BASE/FINAL AND ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. MADE EMERG. LANDING ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREET. LANDING GEAR DEPARTED AIRCRAFT/AIRCRAFT SKIDDED ON BELLY APPROX. 200 FT BEFORE IMPACTING TREE WITH L WING. L WING LEADING EDGE AND FUEL TANK RIPPED OPEN. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO FUSELAGE AND WINGS. NO SIGN OF FUEL, EITHER TANK, UPON FAA'S ARRIVAL. WING TANK SUMP VALVES WERE BOTH SHEARED OFF. INVESTIGATION REVEALED FUEL TANK SEAM SEALANT (SLOSH) FLAKING OFF INSIDE L TANK AND FLAKES IN GASCOLATOR. NO CONTAMINATION AT FINGER SCREEN INLET TO FUEL SERVO. FUEL AT INLET AND OUTLET OF SERVO. PILOT STATES VISUAL CHECK OF FUEL PREVIOUS NIGHT SHOWED 15-17 GAL IN L TANK/SOME IN R.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.