What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot departed his home base hilliard airpark (01J) Florida flew to waycross ware county (ays) to check operation of navigation equipment installed in aircraft. During the flight the right fuel tank ran dry the pilot selected the left fuel tank and made the decision to divert to Folkston, davis field (3J6). Shortly after selecting the left fuel tank the engine sputtered to a stop (no fuel) leaving the pilot short of landing at 3J6 by five miles. The pilot then selected a pasture for an off field landing during this section the pilot missed seeing the trees and was forced to fly the aircraft into them. This action sheared the wings off the aircraft allowing passage through the trees and stopping in the adjacent field inverted. The pilot suffered minor injuries requiring medical attention.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT DEPARTED HIS HOME BASE HILLIARD AIRPARK (01J) FLORIDA FLEW TO WAYCROSS WARE COUNTY (AYS) TO CHECK OPERATION OF NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT INSTALLED IN AIRCRAFT. DURING THE FLIGHT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK RAN DRY THE PILOT SELECTED THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND MADE THE DECISION TO DIVERT TO FOLKSTON, DAVIS FIELD (3J6). SHORTLY AFTER SELECTING THE LEFT FUEL TANK THE ENGINE SPUTTERED TO A STOP (NO FUEL) LEAVING THE PILOT SHORT OF LANDING AT 3J6 BY FIVE MILES. THE PILOT THEN SELECTED A PASTURE FOR AN OFF FIELD LANDING DURING THIS SECTION THE PILOT MISSED SEEING THE TREES AND WAS FORCED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT INTO THEM. THIS ACTION SHEARED THE WINGS OFF THE AIRCRAFT ALLOWING PASSAGE THROUGH THE TREES AND STOPPING IN THE ADJACENT FIELD INVERTED. THE PILOT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES REQUIRING MEDICAL ATTENTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.