What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At 1400 CST, aircraft made an emergency landing approximately 12 NM NE of Huntsville municipal airport (kuts) on a dirt road inside the ellis unit Texas state prison grounds. Pilot states that he topped off his fuel tanks with 9 gallons of 100LL at kuts just prior to this flight. Since the aircraft fuel gauge was inoperative, he states that he started his stopwatch @ 1302 CST, when he started his engine & took off at 1309 CST from kuts. After 58 minutes, pilot states that the engine started surging due to lack of fuel. Pilot says he was using the LH main tank, but tried switching the fuel selector valve to the other 3 positions to restart the engine with negative results. He then made an emergency landing on a dirt road short of his intended landing spot. Aircraft sustained substantial damage to the LH wing & landing gear and severe damage to the RH main landing gear.
As the FAA filed it
AT 1400 CST, AIRCRAFT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING APPROXIMATELY 12 NM NE OF HUNTSVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KUTS) ON A DIRT ROAD INSIDE THE ELLIS UNIT TEXAS STATE PRISON GROUNDS. PILOT STATES THAT HE TOPPED OFF HIS FUEL TANKS WITH 9 GALLONS OF 100LL AT KUTS JUST PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. SINCE THE AIRCRAFT FUEL GAUGE WAS INOPERATIVE, HE STATES THAT HE STARTED HIS STOPWATCH @ 1302 CST, WHEN HE STARTED HIS ENGINE & TOOK OFF AT 1309 CST FROM KUTS. AFTER 58 MINUTES, PILOT STATES THAT THE ENGINE STARTED SURGING DUE TO LACK OF FUEL. PILOT SAYS HE WAS USING THE LH MAIN TANK, BUT TRIED SWITCHING THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO THE OTHER 3 POSITIONS TO RESTART THE ENGINE WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. HE THEN MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD SHORT OF HIS INTENDED LANDING SPOT. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LH WING & LANDING GEAR AND SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE RH MAIN LANDING GEAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.