What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N3598R departed Fort Smith Regional Airport (kfsm) at 10:30 am. On 1 July, 2019 with pilot and student onboard. After flying approximately 45 minutes at kfsm practicing take-offs and landings, it departed to the practice range and performed basic maneuvers for approximately 45 additional minutes. After departing the practice range enroute to kfsm to perform additional take-offs and landings, the pilot switched fuel tanks (left to right) after being prompted by the GPS, and handed control to the student. The engine began to sputter almost immediately and the pilot took control back, switched back to the original (left) fuel tank, but was unable to re-start the engine. The pilot notified ATC of the situation and informed them that he would be unable to make it to the airfield, and intended to land approximately 3.5 miles north east of the airfield on Arkansas highway 59 . Shortly thereafter, the aircraft landed on the highway sustaining a collapsed right main and nose landing gear causing it to veer to the right into a ditch. The pilot and student exited the aircraft and sustained no injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the landing gear and engine firewall. On-scene inspection revealed fuel was not visible in the right tank, fuel was visible in the left tank, and no evidence of fuel leakage. Post recovery evaluation revealed the right tank had less than 1 quart of fuel, the left tank had approximately 9 gallons of fuel, and the engine was fully functional when connected to an external fuel supply. Records indicate that the last refueling occurred on 26 jun 2019 at morrilton airport (kbdq). The aircraft flew from kbdq to bill and hillary clinton national airport (lit), and lit to kfsm in the days leading up to the accident without further fueling.
As the FAA filed it
N3598R DEPARTED FORT SMITH REGIONAL AIRPORT (KFSM) AT 10:30 AM. ON 1 JULY, 2019 WITH PILOT AND STUDENT ONBOARD. AFTER FLYING APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES AT KFSM PRACTICING TAKE-OFFS AND LANDINGS, IT DEPARTED TO THE PRACTICE RANGE AND PERFORMED BASIC MANEUVERS FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 ADDITIONAL MINUTES. AFTER DEPARTING THE PRACTICE RANGE ENROUTE TO KFSM TO PERFORM ADDITIONAL TAKE-OFFS AND LANDINGS, THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS (LEFT TO RIGHT) AFTER BEING PROMPTED BY THE GPS, AND HANDED CONTROL TO THE STUDENT. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND THE PILOT TOOK CONTROL BACK, SWITCHED BACK TO THE ORIGINAL (LEFT) FUEL TANK, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RE-START THE ENGINE. THE PILOT NOTIFIED ATC OF THE SITUATION AND INFORMED THEM THAT HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE AIRFIELD, AND INTENDED TO LAND APPROXIMATELY 3.5 MILES NORTH EAST OF THE AIRFIELD ON ARKANSAS HIGHWAY 59 . SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE HIGHWAY SUSTAINING A COLLAPSED RIGHT MAIN AND NOSE LANDING GEAR CAUSING IT TO VEER TO THE RIGHT INTO A DITCH. THE PILOT AND STUDENT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR AND ENGINE FIREWALL. ON-SCENE INSPECTION REVEALED FUEL WAS NOT VISIBLE IN THE RIGHT TANK, FUEL WAS VISIBLE IN THE LEFT TANK, AND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE. POST RECOVERY EVALUATION REVEALED THE RIGHT TANK HAD LESS THAN 1 QUART OF FUEL, THE LEFT TANK HAD APPROXIMATELY 9 GALLONS OF FUEL, AND THE ENGINE WAS FULLY FUNCTIONAL WHEN CONNECTED TO AN EXTERNAL FUEL SUPPLY. RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE LAST REFUELING OCCURRED ON 26 JUN 2019 AT MORRILTON AIRPORT (KBDQ). THE AIRCRAFT FLEW FROM KBDQ TO BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON NATIONAL AIRPORT (LIT), AND LIT TO KFSM IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THE ACCIDENT WITHOUT FURTHER FUELING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.