What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
When contacted the pilot by phone on August 17, 2021, he indicated that on Saturday August 14, 2021, about 10 miles west of dry creek airport his aircraft engine started surging and quit. He said that trying to make it to a dirt road he went down about 10 yards short of the road. He reported the aircraft as a total, but no injuries to him and the passenger.
On August 19, 2021, the reporting inspector visited the aircraft privacy data omittedhangar where the aircraft was relocated. When asked who authorized the relocation of the aircraft, the pilot indicated that the day the accident happened he talk with the FAA in fort worth, who authorized him to recover and relocate the aircraft.
To follow up on the phone conversation with privacy data omitted on August 17, 2021, the reporting inspector asked him at what moment the engine quit. privacy data omitted Indicated that the engine did not quit, but was surging and not producing enough power to maintain altitude. When asked when he first detected the engine surge, he said about 40 minutes after takeoff at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet. He said that when this happened he spotted a dirt road and tried to make it, but it get distracted on the radio taking to another aircraft pilot in the area and went down about 100 yards short of the dirt road. When asked how much fuel the aircraft had before departure he said he didn't check it, but thinks it was at least 15 gallons.
An examination of the aircraft revealed a substantial damage to the right wing, the fuselage tubing frame section between the cabin entrance right door frame and the engine firewall. Both landing gear struts were partially torn.
Both wings were cut at the root to facilitate transport of the aircraft and in consequence the fuel tanks hoses disconnected. A plastic bucket was place on the floor below the right fuel tank open fitting in an attempt to collect any spilled fuel. There were not fuel in the bucket, but it was a large fuel stain on the floor.
Both carburetors float bowls were removed and found they had fuel with no visible contamination.
Engine throttle was checked and found no irregularities.
As the FAA filed it
WHEN CONTACTED THE PILOT BY PHONE ON AUGUST 17, 2021, HE INDICATED THAT ON SATURDAY AUGUST 14, 2021, ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF DRY CREEK AIRPORT HIS AIRCRAFT ENGINE STARTED SURGING AND QUIT. HE SAID THAT TRYING TO MAKE IT TO A DIRT ROAD HE WENT DOWN ABOUT 10 YARDS SHORT OF THE ROAD. HE REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT AS A TOTAL, BUT NO INJURIES TO HIM AND THE PASSENGER.
ON AUGUST 19, 2021, THE REPORTING INSPECTOR VISITED THE AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^HANGAR WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS RELOCATED. WHEN ASKED WHO AUTHORIZED THE RELOCATION OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THE DAY THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED HE TALK WITH THE FAA IN FORT WORTH, WHO AUTHORIZED HIM TO RECOVER AND RELOCATE THE AIRCRAFT.
TO FOLLOW UP ON THE PHONE CONVERSATION WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON AUGUST 17, 2021, THE REPORTING INSPECTOR ASKED HIM AT WHAT MOMENT THE ENGINE QUIT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT QUIT, BUT WAS SURGING AND NOT PRODUCING ENOUGH POWER TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. WHEN ASKED WHEN HE FIRST DETECTED THE ENGINE SURGE, HE SAID ABOUT 40 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FEET. HE SAID THAT WHEN THIS HAPPENED HE SPOTTED A DIRT ROAD AND TRIED TO MAKE IT, BUT IT GET DISTRACTED ON THE RADIO TAKING TO ANOTHER AIRCRAFT PILOT IN THE AREA AND WENT DOWN ABOUT 100 YARDS SHORT OF THE DIRT ROAD. WHEN ASKED HOW MUCH FUEL THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEFORE DEPARTURE HE SAID HE DIDN'T CHECK IT, BUT THINKS IT WAS AT LEAST 15 GALLONS.
AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED A SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING, THE FUSELAGE TUBING FRAME SECTION BETWEEN THE CABIN ENTRANCE RIGHT DOOR FRAME AND THE ENGINE FIREWALL. BOTH LANDING GEAR STRUTS WERE PARTIALLY TORN.
BOTH WINGS WERE CUT AT THE ROOT TO FACILITATE TRANSPORT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IN CONSEQUENCE THE FUEL TANKS HOSES DISCONNECTED. A PLASTIC BUCKET WAS PLACE ON THE FLOOR BELOW THE RIGHT FUEL TANK OPEN FITTING IN AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT ANY SPILLED FUEL. THERE WERE NOT FUEL IN THE BUCKET, BUT IT WAS A LARGE FUEL STAIN ON THE FLOOR.
BOTH CARBURETORS FLOAT BOWLS WERE REMOVED AND FOUND THEY HAD FUEL WITH NO VISIBLE CONTAMINATION.
ENGINE THROTTLE WAS CHECKED AND FOUND NO IRREGULARITIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.