What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 22, 2010 at approximately 10:20 am, N7499A experienced a mechanical interruption of the powerplant. Prior to departing dyer, Nevada the pilot stated he physically checked the fuel tanks and reported there were approximately 12 gallons per side for the 1 ½ hour flight. The pilot reported that during the flight he had been utilizing the fuel in the right tank. The pilot planned to land at spanish springs airport but the airport was fogged in. The reno tower cleared the pilot for the ILS approach into reno where the pilot executed a missed approach then planned to land at fernley, Nevada. At approximately 12 miles east of the reno VOR, enroute to fernley, the reno tower cleared the pilot to land VFR at reno. The pilot entered a descent from 7600 MSL and moved the fuel selector from the right tank to the left tank and the engine subsequently ceased operation. The pilot stated he did not apply carburetor heat. The pilot attempted numerous restarts, with the fuel selector in various positions without success. The pilot then chose to land on interstate 80 in the westbound lanes. Upon touch down the aircraft landed hard causing the tail wheel to shear at the leaf spring but remained attached to the airframe via the compression spring. The tail wheel then bounced into the rudder causing a tear in the trailing edge of the movable surface. During the landing roll, the left wing tip struck a temporary highway sign with minimal damage. The fuel totalizer indicated 7.7 gallons of fuel remaining. After the aircraft was removed from the traffic lanes, the wing tank fuel sumps and gascolator were checked for fuel and each had a positive fuel flow. The engine was restarted with no abnormal indications. The aircraft recovery crew drained the remaining fuel from the wing tanks and there was less than 6 gallons remaining.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 22, 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:20 AM, N7499A EXPERIENCED A MECHANICAL INTERRUPTION OF THE POWERPLANT. PRIOR TO DEPARTING DYER, NEVADA THE PILOT STATED HE PHYSICALLY CHECKED THE FUEL TANKS AND REPORTED THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 12 GALLONS PER SIDE FOR THE 1 ½ HOUR FLIGHT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE FLIGHT HE HAD BEEN UTILIZING THE FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT PLANNED TO LAND AT SPANISH SPRINGS AIRPORT BUT THE AIRPORT WAS FOGGED IN. THE RENO TOWER CLEARED THE PILOT FOR THE ILS APPROACH INTO RENO WHERE THE PILOT EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH THEN PLANNED TO LAND AT FERNLEY, NEVADA. AT APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES EAST OF THE RENO VOR, ENROUTE TO FERNLEY, THE RENO TOWER CLEARED THE PILOT TO LAND VFR AT RENO. THE PILOT ENTERED A DESCENT FROM 7600 MSL AND MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE RIGHT TANK TO THE LEFT TANK AND THE ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY CEASED OPERATION. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT APPLY CARBURETOR HEAT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED NUMEROUS RESTARTS, WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR IN VARIOUS POSITIONS WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE PILOT THEN CHOSE TO LAND ON INTERSTATE 80 IN THE WESTBOUND LANES. UPON TOUCH DOWN THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD CAUSING THE TAIL WHEEL TO SHEAR AT THE LEAF SPRING BUT REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME VIA THE COMPRESSION SPRING. THE TAIL WHEEL THEN BOUNCED INTO THE RUDDER CAUSING A TEAR IN THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE MOVABLE SURFACE. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK A TEMPORARY HIGHWAY SIGN WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE. THE FUEL TOTALIZER INDICATED 7.7 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE TRAFFIC LANES, THE WING TANK FUEL SUMPS AND GASCOLATOR WERE CHECKED FOR FUEL AND EACH HAD A POSITIVE FUEL FLOW. THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED WITH NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS. THE AIRCRAFT RECOVERY CREW DRAINED THE REMAINING FUEL FROM THE WING TANKS AND THERE WAS LESS THAN 6 GALLONS REMAINING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N7499A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.