What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 22, 2014, at approximately 1700 local time (2300 UTC), the instrument rated private pilot was involved in an aircraft accident while attempting an emergency landing, 11 miles west of the Tribune municipal airport (5K2) in Tribune, Kansas.
The flight departed 5K2 and a witness mentioned that a normal flight for the airman was a short cross country flight to the syracuse-hamilton county municipal airport (3K3) in syracuse, Kansas, which is located 27 miles directly south of 5K2. It is not known why the accident site was 11 miles west of the departure point.
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident with clear skies, light winds and 45 degrees fahrenheit.
Evidence indicates the engine was not producing power upon impact with the ground. Evidence also indicates the left wing touched the ground first which caused the aircraft to begin a cartwheel effect. The debris field extended from southwest to northeast and was 296 feet in length.
Upon inspection of the left wing, no evidence of fuel could be found. The left wing was flat on the ground lying inverted with the inboard end of the fuel tank area torn open. The fuel tank was empty with no evidence of fuel leakage on the ground. The right wing was partially attached to the fuselage and also lying inverted. There was evidence of blue 100LL fuel seeping from the filler port. An estimated 4 gallons of fuel was found in the right tank. The fuel selector was found selected to the right fuel tank.
The pilot who was the sole occupant of the aircraft sustained fatal injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 22, 2014, AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 LOCAL TIME (2300 UTC), THE INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS INVOLVED IN AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, 11 MILES WEST OF THE TRIBUNE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (5K2) IN TRIBUNE, KANSAS.
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED 5K2 AND A WITNESS MENTIONED THAT A NORMAL FLIGHT FOR THE AIRMAN WAS A SHORT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO THE SYRACUSE-HAMILTON COUNTY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (3K3) IN SYRACUSE, KANSAS, WHICH IS LOCATED 27 MILES DIRECTLY SOUTH OF 5K2. IT IS NOT KNOWN WHY THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 11 MILES WEST OF THE DEPARTURE POINT.
VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WITH CLEAR SKIES, LIGHT WINDS AND 45 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
EVIDENCE INDICATES THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING POWER UPON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. EVIDENCE ALSO INDICATES THE LEFT WING TOUCHED THE GROUND FIRST WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO BEGIN A CARTWHEEL EFFECT. THE DEBRIS FIELD EXTENDED FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST AND WAS 296 FEET IN LENGTH.
UPON INSPECTION OF THE LEFT WING, NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL COULD BE FOUND. THE LEFT WING WAS FLAT ON THE GROUND LYING INVERTED WITH THE INBOARD END OF THE FUEL TANK AREA TORN OPEN. THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE ON THE GROUND. THE RIGHT WING WAS PARTIALLY ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE AND ALSO LYING INVERTED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF BLUE 100LL FUEL SEEPING FROM THE FILLER PORT. AN ESTIMATED 4 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND SELECTED TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK.
THE PILOT WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.