What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Upon arrival of the accident scene, the aircraft was observed in the upright position, with the wings attached and fuselage mostly intact. The main landing gear had separated from the fuselage, and was folded up next to the aircraft. The tail wheel was attached to the airframe, but was pushed inside the aircraft from impact. The engine was attached to the airframe, however the engine mounts were broke. Visual inspection of the propeller showed no signs of scoring, and it turned freely by hand with no internal binding. A check of the crankcase revealed engine oil present. A visual inspection of the fuel tank revealed no fuel present, and no fuel came from the wing sump when checked. The carburetor fuel bowl could not be checked due to the position of the engine from impact. The flight controls were tested for integrity and correct rigging, and were found to be intact and rigged correctly. The pilot states that he put 7 gallons of fuel in the plane before departure, which brought the fuel gauge to half full. He states that he flew for approximately 1 hour before the engine lost power. While attempting to land, the engine regained power momentarily, before quitting for good. He states that he impacted the ground hard and just short of the runway while attempting an emergency landing.
As the FAA filed it
UPON ARRIVAL OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, WITH THE WINGS ATTACHED AND FUSELAGE MOSTLY INTACT. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE, AND WAS FOLDED UP NEXT TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE TAIL WHEEL WAS ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME, BUT WAS PUSHED INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT FROM IMPACT. THE ENGINE WAS ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME, HOWEVER THE ENGINE MOUNTS WERE BROKE. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE PROPELLER SHOWED NO SIGNS OF SCORING, AND IT TURNED FREELY BY HAND WITH NO INTERNAL BINDING. A CHECK OF THE CRANKCASE REVEALED ENGINE OIL PRESENT. A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANK REVEALED NO FUEL PRESENT, AND NO FUEL CAME FROM THE WING SUMP WHEN CHECKED. THE CARBURETOR FUEL BOWL COULD NOT BE CHECKED DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE ENGINE FROM IMPACT. THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE TESTED FOR INTEGRITY AND CORRECT RIGGING, AND WERE FOUND TO BE INTACT AND RIGGED CORRECTLY. THE PILOT STATES THAT HE PUT 7 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE PLANE BEFORE DEPARTURE, WHICH BROUGHT THE FUEL GAUGE TO HALF FULL. HE STATES THAT HE FLEW FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR BEFORE THE ENGINE LOST POWER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND, THE ENGINE REGAINED POWER MOMENTARILY, BEFORE QUITTING FOR GOOD. HE STATES THAT HE IMPACTED THE GROUND HARD AND JUST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.