What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft was on a pleasure flight and lost power and had to make an off airport landing approximately 3 mi. Nne of (kmko) Davis Field, Muskogee, OK. On hwy. 64 impacting a road sign on flare. No serious injury incurred to the pilot or his passenger. The aircraft was removed from the highway due to traffic on a flatbed trailer and transported to the ramp at Davis Field.
No damage to either fuel tank was noted and first responders stated that no leakage was noted at the scene. The r/h tank contained approximately 10 gals of fuel and the l/h tank contained approximately 20 oz. Of fuel. The sump drains and filters were found to be normal with no signs of water, only minimal amounts of fine particles. The fuel selector was found in the r/h position which is consistent with the pilot's statement that he switched to that tank to attempt a restart. No other issues were noted with the aircraft that may have contributed to the loss of engine power.
The pilot in his statement revealed that he may have not switched to the fullest tank when he needed to, and also began his flight for the day not knowing the actual fuel quantity just the fuel gage readings.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT AND LOST POWER AND HAD TO MAKE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING APPROXIMATELY 3 MI. NNE OF (KMKO) DAVIS FIELD, MUSKOGEE, OK. ON HWY. 64 IMPACTING A ROAD SIGN ON FLARE. NO SERIOUS INJURY INCURRED TO THE PILOT OR HIS PASSENGER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE HIGHWAY DUE TO TRAFFIC ON A FLATBED TRAILER AND TRANSPORTED TO THE RAMP AT DAVIS FIELD.
NO DAMAGE TO EITHER FUEL TANK WAS NOTED AND FIRST RESPONDERS STATED THAT NO LEAKAGE WAS NOTED AT THE SCENE. THE R/H TANK CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY 10 GALS OF FUEL AND THE L/H TANK CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY 20 OZ. OF FUEL. THE SUMP DRAINS AND FILTERS WERE FOUND TO BE NORMAL WITH NO SIGNS OF WATER, ONLY MINIMAL AMOUNTS OF FINE PARTICLES. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE R/H POSITION WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PILOT'S STATEMENT THAT HE SWITCHED TO THAT TANK TO ATTEMPT A RESTART. NO OTHER ISSUES WERE NOTED WITH THE AIRCRAFT THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
THE PILOT IN HIS STATEMENT REVEALED THAT HE MAY HAVE NOT SWITCHED TO THE FULLEST TANK WHEN HE NEEDED TO, AND ALSO BEGAN HIS FLIGHT FOR THE DAY NOT KNOWING THE ACTUAL FUEL QUANTITY JUST THE FUEL GAGE READINGS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3976K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.