What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Investigation of the accident on scene found no measurable amounts of fuel in the fuel tanks. No signs of fuel spillage or ground contamination was evident. Witness statement from a sherriff posse search and rescue stated Mr. Blanchette thought he ran out of gas or had a fuel leak. Further investigation of the fuel system found the fuel strainer to be 95 percent full of rusty water and 5 percent clear auto smelling fuel. The fuel screen was 25 percent obstructed with rusted type contaminants. The fuel bowl contained rust and noticable large particles and contaminants.
As the FAA filed it
INVESTIGATION OF THE ACCIDENT ON SCENE FOUND NO MEASURABLE AMOUNTS OF FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS. NO SIGNS OF FUEL SPILLAGE OR GROUND CONTAMINATION WAS EVIDENT. WITNESS STATEMENT FROM A SHERRIFF POSSE SEARCH AND RESCUE STATED MR. BLANCHETTE THOUGHT HE RAN OUT OF GAS OR HAD A FUEL LEAK. FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM FOUND THE FUEL STRAINER TO BE 95 PERCENT FULL OF RUSTY WATER AND 5 PERCENT CLEAR AUTO SMELLING FUEL. THE FUEL SCREEN WAS 25 PERCENT OBSTRUCTED WITH RUSTED TYPE CONTAMINANTS. THE FUEL BOWL CONTAINED RUST AND NOTICABLE LARGE PARTICLES AND CONTAMINANTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.