What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 25, 2013 at approximately 12:00 pm local time N33SV, an experimental amateur- built aircraft, velocity 173, departed from pegasus (5AZ3) airpark for pleasure flight operating VFR in accordance with 14 CFR part 91. The weather was clear with visibility unlimited. At approximately 12:30 pm local time while maneuvering at 2800 feet MSL southeast of Maricopa Arizona, the pilot stated that the engine began to run rough immediately followed by total loss of power. The pilot initiated a restart procedure that was unsuccessful and prepared for a forced landing on a dirt road running north -south parallel to an irrigation canal between two alfalfa fields. As the pilot maneuvered to land north on the dirt road the aircrafts left wing tip (winglet) contacted an irrigation canal control valve handle at approx. 6 feet AGL during the flare and touch down phase of flight causing the pilot to lose control. The aircraft came to rest in the alfalfa field west of the road and canal. The aircraft sustained substantial damaged to the left wing, under carriage and propeller. There were no injuries to the pilot or the two passengers. (Reference Maricopa police report 130325022).
The pilot stated that during the preflight of the aircraft he verified that 20 gallons of fuel was onboard, enough for 2 hours of flight in that aircraft. During the on scene investigation fuel was found on board the aircraft. The fuel system is gravity fed from the wings to a center fuel tank and pumped to the engine.
Preliminary examination of the aircraft and engine was not remarkable.
The flight controls, engine controls and fuel selector continuity were verified and there was avgas in the fuel tanks.
The aircraft records were reviewed. The last maintenance record entry included the condition inspection dated September 9, 2012 which meets the requirement set forth in the special airworthiness certificate operating limitations.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 25, 2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00 PM LOCAL TIME N33SV, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR- BUILT AIRCRAFT, VELOCITY 173, DEPARTED FROM PEGASUS (5AZ3) AIRPARK FOR PLEASURE FLIGHT OPERATING VFR IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CFR PART 91. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR WITH VISIBILITY UNLIMITED. AT APPROXIMATELY 12:30 PM LOCAL TIME WHILE MANEUVERING AT 2800 FEET MSL SOUTHEAST OF MARICOPA ARIZONA, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED A RESTART PROCEDURE THAT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND PREPARED FOR A FORCED LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD RUNNING NORTH -SOUTH PARALLEL TO AN IRRIGATION CANAL BETWEEN TWO ALFALFA FIELDS. AS THE PILOT MANEUVERED TO LAND NORTH ON THE DIRT ROAD THE AIRCRAFTS LEFT WING TIP (WINGLET) CONTACTED AN IRRIGATION CANAL CONTROL VALVE HANDLE AT APPROX. 6 FEET AGL DURING THE FLARE AND TOUCH DOWN PHASE OF FLIGHT CAUSING THE PILOT TO LOSE CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE ALFALFA FIELD WEST OF THE ROAD AND CANAL. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGED TO THE LEFT WING, UNDER CARRIAGE AND PROPELLER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT OR THE TWO PASSENGERS. (REFERENCE MARICOPA POLICE REPORT 130325022).
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT HE VERIFIED THAT 20 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ONBOARD, ENOUGH FOR 2 HOURS OF FLIGHT IN THAT AIRCRAFT. DURING THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION FUEL WAS FOUND ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. THE FUEL SYSTEM IS GRAVITY FED FROM THE WINGS TO A CENTER FUEL TANK AND PUMPED TO THE ENGINE.
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE WAS NOT REMARKABLE.
THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, ENGINE CONTROLS AND FUEL SELECTOR CONTINUITY WERE VERIFIED AND THERE WAS AVGAS IN THE FUEL TANKS.
THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS WERE REVIEWED. THE LAST MAINTENANCE RECORD ENTRY INCLUDED THE CONDITION INSPECTION DATED SEPTEMBER 9, 2012 WHICH MEETS THE REQUIREMENT SET FORTH IN THE SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE OPERATING LIMITATIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.