What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot indicated that he made a decision to re-route to kaxa direct to refuel. While arriving at the town of Algona, the engine sputtered. He switched fuel tanks and the engine operated normally. He indicated he was unable to turn the Algona airport runway lights on. Then he circled the airport three times to try to make a visual of the runway. On the fourth pass around, the engine stopped and he started the approach for runway 30. A landing parallel to the runway was attempted in the grass. A hard landing occurred and aircraft sustained substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE MADE A DECISION TO RE-ROUTE TO KAXA DIRECT TO REFUEL. WHILE ARRIVING AT THE TOWN OF ALGONA, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. HE INDICATED HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE ALGONA AIRPORT RUNWAY LIGHTS ON. THEN HE CIRCLED THE AIRPORT THREE TIMES TO TRY TO MAKE A VISUAL OF THE RUNWAY. ON THE FOURTH PASS AROUND, THE ENGINE STOPPED AND HE STARTED THE APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 30. A LANDING PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY WAS ATTEMPTED IN THE GRASS. A HARD LANDING OCCURRED AND AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.