What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 9/3/2021 N388RV, an RV8, a homebuild experimental aircraft, took off from klna to kimm for the purpose of refueling. The weather condition was 2500 ft. scattered clouds.
The flight was scheduled for 30 minutes with a fuel burn of 4-5 gallons. The pilot could not dipstick the level of the fuel since it was a tailwheel aircraft and the fuel was in the lower part of the tank due to the angle of the wing. Pilot estimated 9-10 gallons remaining in the tank. The tank holds 21 gallons, each side..
Pilot departed VFR from klna at about 11: 20AM for kimm. As he proceeded westbound he noticed rain cells were building in great intensity in his direction so he changed course to the southwest to avoid the rain. Pilot decided to return to klna. On the way back the engine started to sputter, pilot turned on the electric fuel pump, switched tanks from left to right but after a while, the engine sputtered again so he prepared for an off-airport landing. Knowing that most highways have wires across he decided to use a horse racetrack as landing zone. As he approached the track he selected 10 degrees of flaps to extend his gliding distant but he experienced a significant sink rate instead therefore he was unable to clear the railing of the track and crashed the airplane.
Pilot turned all switches off and exited the aircraft unhurt. He was the only occupant on board.
As the FAA filed it
ON 9/3/2021 N388RV, AN RV8, A HOMEBUILD EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, TOOK OFF FROM KLNA TO KIMM FOR THE PURPOSE OF REFUELING. THE WEATHER CONDITION WAS 2500 FT. SCATTERED CLOUDS.
THE FLIGHT WAS SCHEDULED FOR 30 MINUTES WITH A FUEL BURN OF 4-5 GALLONS. THE PILOT COULD NOT DIPSTICK THE LEVEL OF THE FUEL SINCE IT WAS A TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT AND THE FUEL WAS IN THE LOWER PART OF THE TANK DUE TO THE ANGLE OF THE WING. PILOT ESTIMATED 9-10 GALLONS REMAINING IN THE TANK. THE TANK HOLDS 21 GALLONS, EACH SIDE..
PILOT DEPARTED VFR FROM KLNA AT ABOUT 11: 20AM FOR KIMM. AS HE PROCEEDED WESTBOUND HE NOTICED RAIN CELLS WERE BUILDING IN GREAT INTENSITY IN HIS DIRECTION SO HE CHANGED COURSE TO THE SOUTHWEST TO AVOID THE RAIN. PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO KLNA. ON THE WAY BACK THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER, PILOT TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP, SWITCHED TANKS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT BUT AFTER A WHILE, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AGAIN SO HE PREPARED FOR AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. KNOWING THAT MOST HIGHWAYS HAVE WIRES ACROSS HE DECIDED TO USE A HORSE RACETRACK AS LANDING ZONE. AS HE APPROACHED THE TRACK HE SELECTED 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS TO EXTEND HIS GLIDING DISTANT BUT HE EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT SINK RATE INSTEAD THEREFORE HE WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE RAILING OF THE TRACK AND CRASHED THE AIRPLANE.
PILOT TURNED ALL SWITCHES OFF AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT UNHURT. HE WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT ON BOARD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.