What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft departed ksjt at 10:40 am on a remote sensing flight with on board cameras. Conducted photography NE of ksjt using flight following then after concealing flight following proceeded VFR in good weather conditions to second photo area north of kgvt. Weather conditions were scattered clouds with good visibility. Upon completing photo grids, determined distance, weather, and fuel requirements to proceed to 11R. Using the clock, fuel gauges, and electronics international CGR-30P engine monitor, pilot determined that there would be adequate fuel with about 45 minutes reserve fuel remaining upon landing at 11R.
Proceeded directly to 11R. Monitoring kcll tower and ATIS . While descending through about 2500 feet with the airport in sight pilot made radio call to report five miles out on final for runway 16. ( at this point, the engine began surging due to fuel starvation which is pilot normal procedure to empty one tank completely then switch to alternate tank after engine begins shutdown.)switching from left tank to right fuel tank. Pilot expecting engine power to return immediately which it did not, at this point landing in a nearby field was the only option.
Coming to stop with substantal damage no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KSJT AT 10:40 AM ON A REMOTE SENSING FLIGHT WITH ON BOARD CAMERAS. CONDUCTED PHOTOGRAPHY NE OF KSJT USING FLIGHT FOLLOWING THEN AFTER CONCEALING FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEEDED VFR IN GOOD WEATHER CONDITIONS TO SECOND PHOTO AREA NORTH OF KGVT. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE SCATTERED CLOUDS WITH GOOD VISIBILITY. UPON COMPLETING PHOTO GRIDS, DETERMINED DISTANCE, WEATHER, AND FUEL REQUIREMENTS TO PROCEED TO 11R. USING THE CLOCK, FUEL GAUGES, AND ELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL CGR-30P ENGINE MONITOR, PILOT DETERMINED THAT THERE WOULD BE ADEQUATE FUEL WITH ABOUT 45 MINUTES RESERVE FUEL REMAINING UPON LANDING AT 11R.
PROCEEDED DIRECTLY TO 11R. MONITORING KCLL TOWER AND ATIS . WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH ABOUT 2500 FEET WITH THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT PILOT MADE RADIO CALL TO REPORT FIVE MILES OUT ON FINAL FOR RUNWAY 16. ( AT THIS POINT, THE ENGINE BEGAN SURGING DUE TO FUEL STARVATION WHICH IS PILOT NORMAL PROCEDURE TO EMPTY ONE TANK COMPLETELY THEN SWITCH TO ALTERNATE TANK AFTER ENGINE BEGINS SHUTDOWN.)SWITCHING FROM LEFT TANK TO RIGHT FUEL TANK. PILOT EXPECTING ENGINE POWER TO RETURN IMMEDIATELY WHICH IT DID NOT, AT THIS POINT LANDING IN A NEARBY FIELD WAS THE ONLY OPTION.
COMING TO STOP WITH SUBSTANTAL DAMAGE NO 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.