What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot departed from his Private strip at approximately 7:05PM local time on 3-24-19. He flew for approximately 25 minutes, then landed at his Private strip to pick up his son. He stated that he had 1/2 tanks on each side at this point. He stated that he did not remember what his fuel selector was on, but the first responders indicated that it was on the right tank. The pilot indicated a loss of power shortly after takeoff, though he said he doesn't remember much. privacy data omitted An eye-witness, stated that it sounded like he lost fuel. The pilot stated that he looked for a place to land, and privacy data omitted reported engine sputtering as he banked. The aircraft landed hard in a small field near the Private grass runway. The pilot sustained serious injuries and privacy data omitted sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The investigation revealed no mechanical issues with the engine or the fuel, however, it is possible that the right tank was empty or low, though it is inconclusive. There is a limitation on this aircraft that takeoffs should not be attempted with the fuel selector on the right tank unless the tank is at least 1/3 full. It is possible that the fuel was below this level, and the gauge was reading 1/2, but because the aircraft was destroyed and significant damage occurred to the fuel tanks, it is not known whether or not there was fuel in the right tank prior to crash. The smell of fuel was present at the accident, and there was fuel in the lines . There was no evidence of fuel contamination during the investigation.
The actual cause of the engine failure is not known, however, the pilot had an out-of-date medical certificate on the day of the flight. He has stated that he had believed that his medical was still current, but hadn't checked, and realizes now that it was not current on the day of the flight.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT DEPARTED FROM HIS PRIVATE STRIP AT APPROXIMATELY 7:05PM LOCAL TIME ON 3-24-19. HE FLEW FOR APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES, THEN LANDED AT HIS PRIVATE STRIP TO PICK UP HIS SON. HE STATED THAT HE HAD 1/2 TANKS ON EACH SIDE AT THIS POINT. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT REMEMBER WHAT HIS FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON, BUT THE FIRST RESPONDERS INDICATED THAT IT WAS ON THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT INDICATED A LOSS OF POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THOUGH HE SAID HE DOESN'T REMEMBER MUCH. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AN EYE-WITNESS, STATED THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE HE LOST FUEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND, AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPORTED ENGINE SPUTTERING AS HE BANKED. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD IN A SMALL FIELD NEAR THE PRIVATE GRASS RUNWAY. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE OR THE FUEL, HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE RIGHT TANK WAS EMPTY OR LOW, THOUGH IT IS INCONCLUSIVE. THERE IS A LIMITATION ON THIS AIRCRAFT THAT TAKEOFFS SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE RIGHT TANK UNLESS THE TANK IS AT LEAST 1/3 FULL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE FUEL WAS BELOW THIS LEVEL, AND THE GAUGE WAS READING 1/2, BUT BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE FUEL TANKS, IT IS NOT KNOWN WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK PRIOR TO CRASH. THE SMELL OF FUEL WAS PRESENT AT THE ACCIDENT, AND THERE WAS FUEL IN THE LINES . THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL CONTAMINATION DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE IS NOT KNOWN, HOWEVER, THE PILOT HAD AN OUT-OF-DATE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE ON THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT. HE HAS STATED THAT HE HAD BELIEVED THAT HIS MEDICAL WAS STILL CURRENT, BUT HADN'T CHECKED, AND REALIZES NOW THAT IT WAS NOT CURRENT ON THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.