What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft departed spokane (kgeg) on a direct flight to Bozeman (kbzn). There were two people on board, both pilots.
In spokane they added 7.5 gallons on each side, bringing the total fuel on board to approximately 46 gallons. This was verified by drip stick and then entered in the fuel totalizer as the fuel on board. This aircraft has a fuel scan 450 fuel flow indicator that tracks fuel flow and allows the pilot to set the amount of fuel added.
During approach to kbzn, about 7 miles out, the engine RPM decreased, mixture and carb heat were checked, but the engine RPM continued to drop. The pilot notified the tower they were having an engine failure. The pilot not flying attempted multiple engine restarts, but the engine finally quit about 3 miles from the airport. They realized that they would not make the airport, and the pilot flying chose a field about 1.5 miles from the airport. As the acft rolled to a stop the nose wheel dropped slowly went into a ditch, contacting the bank on the opposite side, causing the lower engine cowling to contact the ground.
The recovery team initially checked fuel tanks and found the right fuel tank empty and the left fuel tank with minimal fuel. When the fuel selector was placed in the left position, the engine started and ran immediately for the recovery team.
An inspection of the aircraft revealed the right fuel tank was empty, and the rt fuel gage indicated between 1/8 and 1/4 tank, the left fuel tank had approximately 3.5 gallons useable fuel, with the lt fuel gage indicating between 1/8 and 1/4 tank. Damage was limited to the lower cowl.
Fuel stains were noted from both gas caps, indicative of fuel leaking past the gas cap seals. The pilot stated he had cleaned this area off the evening prior to this flight, so the fuel stains were fresh. The gas cap seals were found to be deteriorated, and both were replaced.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SPOKANE (KGEG) ON A DIRECT FLIGHT TO BOZEMAN (KBZN). THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE ON BOARD, BOTH PILOTS.
IN SPOKANE THEY ADDED 7.5 GALLONS ON EACH SIDE, BRINGING THE TOTAL FUEL ON BOARD TO APPROXIMATELY 46 GALLONS. THIS WAS VERIFIED BY DRIP STICK AND THEN ENTERED IN THE FUEL TOTALIZER AS THE FUEL ON BOARD. THIS AIRCRAFT HAS A FUEL SCAN 450 FUEL FLOW INDICATOR THAT TRACKS FUEL FLOW AND ALLOWS THE PILOT TO SET THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ADDED.
DURING APPROACH TO KBZN, ABOUT 7 MILES OUT, THE ENGINE RPM DECREASED, MIXTURE AND CARB HEAT WERE CHECKED, BUT THE ENGINE RPM CONTINUED TO DROP. THE PILOT NOTIFIED THE TOWER THEY WERE HAVING AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT NOT FLYING ATTEMPTED MULTIPLE ENGINE RESTARTS, BUT THE ENGINE FINALLY QUIT ABOUT 3 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. THEY REALIZED THAT THEY WOULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT, AND THE PILOT FLYING CHOSE A FIELD ABOUT 1.5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. AS THE ACFT ROLLED TO A STOP THE NOSE WHEEL DROPPED SLOWLY WENT INTO A DITCH, CONTACTING THE BANK ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE, CAUSING THE LOWER ENGINE COWLING TO CONTACT THE GROUND.
THE RECOVERY TEAM INITIALLY CHECKED FUEL TANKS AND FOUND THE RIGHT FUEL TANK EMPTY AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK WITH MINIMAL FUEL. WHEN THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS PLACED IN THE LEFT POSITION, THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN IMMEDIATELY FOR THE RECOVERY TEAM.
AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY, AND THE RT FUEL GAGE INDICATED BETWEEN 1/8 AND 1/4 TANK, THE LEFT FUEL TANK HAD APPROXIMATELY 3.5 GALLONS USEABLE FUEL, WITH THE LT FUEL GAGE INDICATING BETWEEN 1/8 AND 1/4 TANK. DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE LOWER COWL.
FUEL STAINS WERE NOTED FROM BOTH GAS CAPS, INDICATIVE OF FUEL LEAKING PAST THE GAS CAP SEALS. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD CLEANED THIS AREA OFF THE EVENING PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT, SO THE FUEL STAINS WERE FRESH. THE GAS CAP SEALS WERE FOUND TO BE DETERIORATED, AND BOTH WERE REPLACED.