What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot's statement: on the morning of 08/22/2018 I arrived at kekx for a short flight in the pattern and then continuing to kftk for a couple low approaches to runway 18. I did a normal pre-flight and walk around. All seemed normal and I ascertained that there was approximately 6-8 gallons on board. I taxied to the pumps at kekx and attempted to obtain fuel but the pumps were not functioning properly and would not dispense fuel. Instead of going into the FBO I instead elected to make the short trip with what fuel I had on board (this would prove to be a mistake of massive proportions). I taxied to the hold short lines and did a run-up, which occurred without incident. I then proceeded to do a normal takeoff on runway 23 and performed 2 laps in the pattern before making my final call to the ekx CTAF. I then departed the pattern and climbed to ~1800 MSL on a direct track to kftk and called the tower to obtain clearance into the delta airspace and received clearance for low approach to runway 18. Approximately 90-120 seconds after receiving said clearance I suffered a partial engine failure for approximately 15-20 seconds followed by a complete engine failure.
At that time I made my mayday call to ftk tower and pitched for best glide while maneuvering for what I believed to be my only acceptable and safe option which was a field at my 7-8 oclock and about 0.5 miles. I determined that the best course of action was to make a right hand descending turn, which kept me well above the populated area and put me on a track to clear all obstacles. Once on my final approach course and established I pulled the mixture into the cutoff position, turned off the master switches, and turned off the mags. I continued to manage my speed and altitude to clear an approximately 4 foot tall barbed wire fence that cut the first of the field laterally, I then performed a soft field landing into an unmown hay field. After a short rollout in the field I took a very quick inventory of myself and determined that I was unharmed and made a quick radio call to ftk tower stating that I was down and safe. I then exited the plane and quickly took an external look to determine if the plane had been harmed.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT'S STATEMENT: ON THE MORNING OF 08/22/2018 I ARRIVED AT KEKX FOR A SHORT FLIGHT IN THE PATTERN AND THEN CONTINUING TO KFTK FOR A COUPLE LOW APPROACHES TO RUNWAY 18. I DID A NORMAL PRE-FLIGHT AND WALK AROUND. ALL SEEMED NORMAL AND I ASCERTAINED THAT THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6-8 GALLONS ON BOARD. I TAXIED TO THE PUMPS AT KEKX AND ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN FUEL BUT THE PUMPS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND WOULD NOT DISPENSE FUEL. INSTEAD OF GOING INTO THE FBO I INSTEAD ELECTED TO MAKE THE SHORT TRIP WITH WHAT FUEL I HAD ON BOARD (THIS WOULD PROVE TO BE A MISTAKE OF MASSIVE PROPORTIONS). I TAXIED TO THE HOLD SHORT LINES AND DID A RUN-UP, WHICH OCCURRED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I THEN PROCEEDED TO DO A NORMAL TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 23 AND PERFORMED 2 LAPS IN THE PATTERN BEFORE MAKING MY FINAL CALL TO THE EKX CTAF. I THEN DEPARTED THE PATTERN AND CLIMBED TO ~1800 MSL ON A DIRECT TRACK TO KFTK AND CALLED THE TOWER TO OBTAIN CLEARANCE INTO THE DELTA AIRSPACE AND RECEIVED CLEARANCE FOR LOW APPROACH TO RUNWAY 18. APPROXIMATELY 90-120 SECONDS AFTER RECEIVING SAID CLEARANCE I SUFFERED A PARTIAL ENGINE FAILURE FOR APPROXIMATELY 15-20 SECONDS FOLLOWED BY A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE.
AT THAT TIME I MADE MY MAYDAY CALL TO FTK TOWER AND PITCHED FOR BEST GLIDE WHILE MANEUVERING FOR WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE MY ONLY ACCEPTABLE AND SAFE OPTION WHICH WAS A FIELD AT MY 7-8 OCLOCK AND ABOUT 0.5 MILES. I DETERMINED THAT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND DESCENDING TURN, WHICH KEPT ME WELL ABOVE THE POPULATED AREA AND PUT ME ON A TRACK TO CLEAR ALL OBSTACLES. ONCE ON MY FINAL APPROACH COURSE AND ESTABLISHED I PULLED THE MIXTURE INTO THE CUTOFF POSITION, TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCHES, AND TURNED OFF THE MAGS. I CONTINUED TO MANAGE MY SPEED AND ALTITUDE TO CLEAR AN APPROXIMATELY 4 FOOT TALL BARBED WIRE FENCE THAT CUT THE FIRST OF THE FIELD LATERALLY, I THEN PERFORMED A SOFT FIELD LANDING INTO AN UNMOWN HAY FIELD. AFTER A SHORT ROLLOUT IN THE FIELD I TOOK A VERY QUICK INVENTORY OF MYSELF AND DETERMINED THAT I WAS UNHARMED AND MADE A QUICK RADIO CALL TO FTK TOWER STATING THAT I WAS DOWN AND SAFE. I THEN EXITED THE PLANE AND QUICKLY TOOK AN EXTERNAL LOOK TO DETERMINE IF THE PLANE HAD BEEN HARMED.
Other reports on N5871L · 1
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